Canada Marijuana Legalization Plan Released, Would Legalize for Those 18+
The Canadian government, led by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, has released their plan to legalize marijuana.
As expected, the proposal would legalize the possession, use and licensed distribution of up to 30 grams of marijuana, and would allow a small number of cannabis plants to be cultivated at home for personal use. Unlike the eight states that have legalized the plant in the U.S., Canada is planning to legalize marijuana for those 18+, rather than 21+. This isn’t too out of the norm, however, as it’s the same age limit set by Uruguay, the only nation that has fully legalized cannabis. 18 is also the legal age for alcohol consumption in much of Canada (with it being 19 in other parts).
The government’s plan, including legalizing for those 18+, falls largely in line with what the nation’s Task Force on Cannabis Legalization and Regulation recommended in their report released in December. Other than a different age limit, the rules set forth in the plan are similar to those in Colorado, the first state in the U.S. to legalize cannabis in 2012.
According to a report released earlier this week by the C.D. Howe Institute, Canada is set to garner approximately $675 million ($500 million US) annually in tax revenue from legal marijuana sales.
Based on the government’s proposal – the full text of which can be found by clicking here – cannabis is expected to be legal by next summer.
