Legal Marijuana Sales Delayed in Canada
Despite Canada’s longstanding plan to begin legal marijuana sales in July, a Canadian official has conceded that they won’t actually begin until August, maybe a little later.
As recently as last week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government was insistent that it was still on track to begin legalization in July, which has been the plan for quite a while now. However, Health Minister Ginette Petitpas said Thursday that this simply won’t happen, and sales aren’t going to begin in July. Instead, sales are likely to begin in August, or potentially shortly thereafter. The change in time-frame is based on the Senate’s updated timetable for considering the issue, which has already been passed by the House of Commons.
Petitpas Taylor says that provincial and territorial governments need eight to 12 weeks following senate passage and royal assent (final approval) to prepare for legal marijuana sales. This means that there won’t be enough time to begin sales in July. However, it looks as if September should be the latest that sales start, unless things are pushed back once again.
Once Canada’s legalization law takes effect, Canada will become just the second nation to allow recreational marijuana sales following Uruguay.
Mark Bezanson
The Senate debate has been quite interesting. One Liberal Senator claimed that consumption had dropped in Colorado since legalization. Another Senator suggested that a study documented that consumption had doubled. Another Senator suggested in a study across several countries has shown consumption increased. Several countries have
reversed their legalization of marijuana.
Mark Bezanson
The Senator from Northwest Territories mentioned that feedback from several mayors and chiefs suggested they have only been a government for a few months. The addiction issues, school truancy issues, and other issues will be intensified when youth can lie about their age and order marijuana on line. There seemed to be no plan to expand or finance addiction counseling for youth and young adults.
Mark Bezanson
The Provincial Legislatures are being lobbied to limit smoking and growing marijuana in condos and apartments. Issues of harm to neighbors and limits on smoking in public areas (balcony) need to be identified. Freedom to smoke should not come at the expense of the health of non-smokers, especially since hospitals are requiring patients with any condition to smoke outside.