Canada to legalize Recreational Marijuana by 2018, says CBC Report

Posted by Sagar Satapathy on March 30, 2017.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government will introduce legislation in this April to legalize the recreational use of marijuana across the country by July 2018, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) reports said on Monday.

The CBC said the new regulations would broadly follow recommendations of the federally appointed ‘Task Force on Cannabis Legalization and Regulation’ led by former liberal Justice Minister Anne McLellan.

In December, the task force had issued a report that recommended some key issues in terms of nationwide marijuana regulation for recreational purpose.

Those recommendations included proposals that Canada should permit the sale of recreational marijuana to people over age 18 and tax pot products based on potency. The adult would be allowed possess up to 30 grams of dried marijuana while  producers would be licensed, and residents who want to grow their own marijuana would be limited to four plants per household.

According to the proposals, the federal government will oversee the supply of marijuana and continue to license producers, while the provinces would determine the price and distribution of recreational marijuana.

The Liberals have said they want to impose strict laws to keep marijuana away from young Canadians and take away revenue from illegal pot sales from organized crime.

"This will legalize access to cannabis, but at the same time will regulate and control access," Health Minister Jane Philpott said. "We want to make sure the profits are kept out of the hands of criminal organizations."

If marijuana is legalized for recreational purpose in Canada, the government will fulfill a campaign promise made by Mr Trudeau's Liberal Party during the 2015 general election.

Since 2001, medical marijuana has been legal in Canada and is grown by 40 federally licensed producers.

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