Canada was on track to legalize recreational marijuana by July 2018 after the government put forward legislation on Thursday that will see it regulate production but left the details of how the drug will be sold up to the provinces.Recreational marijuana has been legalized in some USA states, including Colorado and Washington, but Canada would be the first Group of Seven country to do so nationally.
Prime minister Justin Trudeau has argued that making marijuana legal will keep it out of the hands of underage users and reduce drug-related crime. The bundle of bills tabled Thursday in the House of Commons mark the start of a lengthy process which the government hopes to have completed by July 2018.
The legislation's intention is to legalize, strictly regulate and restrict access to pot, said Liberal MP Bill Blair, former Toronto police chief and the government's point man on the legalized-marijuana file. The marijuana task force led by former Liberal justice minister Anne McLellan had acknowledged provinces and territories would likely harmonize it with the age limit they now have in place for alcohol and tobacco.
Health Minister Jane Philpott says criminalizing cannabis has not deterred use among young people, noting products like alcohol and tobacco are legally available with restrictions.
Attempting to grow, procure, or use marijuana outside the legal framework will be a serious punishable offence, the government said. The government is now weighing whether producers should be required to use plain packaging, with endorsements banned and child-proof packaging required. But Canada is virtually the only country in the world that allows the production, distribution and consumption of medical cannabis, but forbids its access in pharmacies.
The bill also proposes penalties of up to three years in jail, or a fine of $5-million, to anyone who creates cannabis products that are appealing to youth or promotes cannabis products except in specific circumstances.
In a release, Kennedy also said that unfairly restricting product formats and branding would give an unfair advantage to black market operators and other producers selling low-quality products at low prices.
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Canada has legalised the use of medical marijuana in the country since 2001 and the marijuana for medicines is grown by 42 federally licenced producers.
"Every sovereign country has the ability at the border to make decisions for themselves", Goodale said. Here's what you need to know if you're thinking of investing in marijuana.
The legalization of marijuana is being overseen by the departments of Health, Justice and Public Safety.
"Our system will actually be better", he said.
Canada has been in "very close touch" with the US on the issue, said Goodale, but he had little to say about Canadians who might fear trouble from American border guards when travelling south.
The measure would make Canada the largest developed country to allow recreational marijuana, USA Today reported. "We simply have to do better". "Existing laws prohibiting possession of cannabis remain in place and they need to be respected", he said.
"This is an orderly transition, not a free-for-all", he admonished.
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