Recreational marijuana will officially be legal in Canada on October 17, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on Wednesday.
Initially, lawmakers had suggested that Canadians could begin purchasing and using legal cannabis within 8 to 12 weeks, or by sometime in September, after passing the legislation on Tuesday evening. Trudeau explained at a news conference that the date was moved back after several provinces expressed concerns that they need more time to fully implement the new regulations, The Toronto Star reported. Now regional governments and businesses will have 17 weeks to ensure everything is ready.
However, some quickly pointed out that October 17 also happens to be the birthday of legendary Jamaican reggae musician Bob Marley’s son, Ziggy. The younger Marley is also a reggae artist and leads the band “Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers.”
