Canada Senate Votes to Legalize Marijuana for Those 18+

Canada Senate Votes to Legalize Marijuana for Those 18+

Canada’s Senate has voted to pass a marijuana legalization bill through its second reading.

The Senate passed Bill C-45 yesterday in a 44 to 29 vote. The measure, which would legalize marijuana for everyone 18 and older, passed the House of Commons  in November by a vote of 200 to 82. The bill will now go through a third reading in the Senate. If passed, as expected, it will be sent to the Governor General for Royal Assent (final approval).

If the measure does become law as many anticipate and as Prime Minister Justin Trudea has promised, the possession and personal cultivation of marijuana will become legal for those 21 and older. The measure would establish a system of licensed brick-and-mortar cannabis retail outlets, while also allowing cannabis to be sold online.

According to a report released last year 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.