Canada Grows Closer To Legalizing Pot

[Katelyn Baker]

Legal marijuana in Canada will take the shape of a tightly controlled and heavily regulated market, according to a panel appointed by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The panel was created last year to investigate the issue of marijuana legalization in Canada. They've urged the creation of an environment where adults can safely and legally use marijuana, while also cracking down on the cannabis black market.

The panel was chaired by former Canadian Deputy Prime Minister Anne McLellan. Their final report states their recommendations, if put into effect, will "strike a balance between implementing appropriate restrictions, in order to minimize the harms associated with cannabis use, and providing adults access to a regulated supply of cannabis while reducing the scope and scale of the illicit market and its social harms."

Trudeau plans to put forward legislation based on the panel's report this spring.

The panel's key recommendations regarding legalization include:

• Set a national minimum age of purchase of 18
• Sell only through specialty stores
• Restrict the ability to advertise and promote the consumption of marijuana and related merchandise, similar to the way tobacco is regulated
• Price based on potency
• Inform Canadians of the facts of marijuana consumption and its effect on health through an evidence-informed public education campaign
• Stronger penalties for selling marijuana outside the legal framework

The Liberal Party's stance on the issue is clearly outlined on their website, where they state, "We will legalize, regulate and restrict access to marijuana."

"Canada's current system of marijuana prohibition does not work," they continue. "It does not prevent young people from using marijuana and too many Canadians end up with criminal records for possessing small amounts of the drug."

By legalizing marijuana and creating a tightly controlled market, the Liberal Party hopes to make it more difficult for minors to acquire the drug, as well as take the profits that currently go to the black market.

These profits are likely immense, if the experience of legalizing marijuana in Colorado is any indication. Last year marijuana sales brought in over a billion dollars, leading to an increase in tax revenue that is being used to build new schools and improve current ones, as well as to fund health programs.

Advocates for legalizing marijuana in the United States face uncertainty regarding President-elect Donald Trump's position on the issue. Trump's pick for attorney general, Alabama senator Jeff Sessions, has been vocal in opposing the legalization of the drug, saying at one point that "good people don't smoke marijuana."

Trump himself has vowed to keep marijuana illegal federally. What effect, if any, the swing in direction from its biggest neighbour will have on Canada, remains to be seen.

News Moderator: Katelyn Baker 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Canada Grows Closer To Legalizing Pot
Author: Luiz Brasil
Contact: editor@brockpress.com
Photo Credit: The Canadian Press
Website: The Brock Press

 

[GoBanana]

Well, it's legal to brew your own beer and wine, here in Canada. Hopefully the same will be for growing a few plants for ourselves.

They will probably categorize making extracts the same as distilling moonshine. (stigma of all the dangers associated with ghetto labs)

 

[XobeMan]

Well, it's legal to brew your own beer and wine, here in Canada. Hopefully the same will be for growing a few plants for ourselves.

They will probably categorize making extracts the same as distilling moonshine. (stigma of all the dangers associated with ghetto labs)

I still disagree with recreational growing.

A Licenced Medicinal Cannabis User

 

[bornslippy]

I still disagree with recreational growing.

A Licenced Medicinal Cannabis User

Why do you disagree with recreational growing? I disagree with the black market.


Sent from my iPhone using 420 Magazine Mobile App

 

[XobeMan]

Why do you disagree with recreational growing? I disagree with the black market.


Sent from my iPhone using 420 Magazine Mobile App

For that reason you just gave it will encourage more of a black market if recreational is allowed to go.

Law enforcement will never be able to keep up or monitor it therefore its a Huge No by me.

Plus recreational growing can and would allow in many cases children to be exposed to Cannabis. Therefore for me it is a Huge No.

There is many other reasons to many to write about for my sore fingers.

A Licenced Medicinal Cannabis User

 

[Goodvibes93]

Man children are exposed to guns, violence, and alcohol from there daily lives. How many families own a gun or have some typo of alocholic beverage in the fridge. How about that pack of cigarettes sitting on the table next to his book bag. It would come down to just having responsibility if the child gets high, drunk, kills someone with the gun in their parents closet..... It comes all down to the parents. "Tougher penalities and prison sentences will fix the issues"

Psalm 104:14

"He causes the grass to grow for the cattle, and the herb for the service of Man".

 

[Blair]

I'm not sure how growing it would add to the black market. If I'm growing a few plants for my own consumption, how's that wrong? It would never see any market. I think we all remember what it was like when we were young. I don't know about all of you but I would think that most of us were exposed to drugs, alcohol, and maybe worse. Most of us made it, some not, but I do recall a very strong black market then. For anything. The more acceptable something is the less the need for a black market. Yup...there's always going to be the dark side, no matter what. Some look only for a way to do things illegally. I think if we all just took a big fatty, puffed it all down, there would be no wars by tomorrow.

 

[GoBanana]

The good thing is, the black market is still going to suffer when it becomes legal. The black market doesn't really include little home grows beside the tomatoes in the garden.

Bottom line is I don't want to have to be licensed or registered for anything, just so I can grow a few plants for personal. Of course I want to see it for sale legally everywhere in a safe manner.
Almost 100% of people in the mood for a beer don't break out the brew kit and sit around waiting... they just go out and buy it, and that's ok.

 

[Weaselcracker]

I think if we all just took a big fatty, puffed it all down, there would be no wars by tomorrow.

Except when some people in the fatty smoking group decide that they want to control the fatty smoking habits of everyone else in the group, for financial gain, or for misguided moralistic reasons. Then there will continue to be wars. And for the same two reasons as always. Greed, and fear.

In other news, legal cannabis here at Weasel's house will continue to take the form of a highly unregulated and heavily unrestricted approach, guided by findings put forward by a panel of millions, which has studied the issue for hundreds of years. Policy adheres closely to the laws of nature and common sense. Production will be strictly controlled to make sure that friends and family never ever run out of good herb, and restrictions will continue to be enforced to ensure that greedy idiots with their heads jammed up their asses continue to remain where they belong- as far away as possible.

Not only are their muffled cries for money and attention rendered completely indecipherable by the aforementioned head/ass proximity, they are further reduced in effect,
from zero effect, to-
less than zero effect,
by
complete and utter lack of caring on the part of the weasel family,
and
by the known cleansing properties of thick pot smoke and good music.

Long live the revolution.

 

[hawtway]

Your sentiments are well worded there Weasel. The Lieberals (sic) are only interested in the contents of our piggy banks. They don't give a $**t about our health and well-being as long as they get their pound of flesh. You could always pony-up $1500 to talk to an elected Lieberal. Better yet, Weasel should bill the Lieberals for the wealth of advice he has provided to them.

Long live the revolution. Wheat farmers are no longer jailed in Canada since Harper struck down that commie law. Furthermore he gave pardons to those who had been convicted and jailed. It is a short pen-stroke required to remove cannabis from the scheduled drug list so we are no longer criminals for growing our own medicine. The black market will die when the marijuana laws are struck down. Al Capone departed from Canada when alcohol prohibition laws were struck down and he could no longer extort gold in exchange for booze.

As far as the government keeping cannabis and children separated with more legislation??? Sure, model that law after the liquor laws that don't keep kids and alcohol separated. Maybe outlaw gasoline so kids will stop sniffing that product too.

Nope, less government is the best government for me.
Happy growing

 

[Blair]