Friday, 22 April 2016

Canadian health minister pledges to legalize the sale and recreational use of cannabis by spring next year

  • Law will permit the legal growing, sale and recreational consumption of pot
  • Jane Philpott announced new legislation due for next year at UN summit 
  • Said law will keep drugs away from children and money away from gangs  
  • Legalizing cannabis was key election pledge of Liberal Justin Trudeau
The Canadian health minister has pledged to overhaul Canada's drug laws in order to legalize the sale and recreational use of marijuana by spring next year during a speech at the UN.

Jane Philpott told a cheering audience that Canada's liberal government will develop legislation to 'keep marijuana out of the hands of children and profits out of the hands of criminals.'

Philpott made the announcement yesterday on 4/20, the unofficial holiday celebrating marijuana and stoner culture, though she insisted the timing was a 'coincidence'.

Jane Philpott, Canada's health minister, pledged to legalize the production, sale and recreational use of cannabis by spring next year during a speech to the UN yesterday
Jane Philpott, Canada's health minister, pledged to legalize the production, sale and recreational use of cannabis by spring next year during a speech to the UN yesterday

The announcement was well received by hundreds of people who had gathered on Parliament Hill in Ottawa to celebrate 4/20, the unofficial yearly celebration of cannabis culture
The announcement was well received by hundreds of people who had gathered on Parliament Hill in Ottawa to celebrate 4/20, the unofficial yearly celebration of cannabis culture

The news was welcomed by hundreds of pro-cannabis demonstrators who had already gathered to smoke on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.

If the proposal does become law then Canada will be only the second nation to have legislated for the sale and recreational use of the drug after Uruguay.

Other countries such as Jamaica, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain all have relaxed laws when it comes to the possession of cannabis, but the growing and selling of it remains technically illegal. 
Meanwhile four U.S. states - Colorado, Alaska, Oregon and Washington, along with Washington D.C. - allow the growing and sale of cannabis for recreational use, though federal law still prohibits it.

Around a dozen other states allow medicinal cannabis use, which is already legal in Canada.

Philpott announced a taskforce will be set up in the next few weeks in order to examine the best way to write the legislation, and how to organize the sale of cannabis.

The health minister told CBC: 'We will task them with a very specific set of questions around how it will be produced, where it will be accessed and sold and around questions of taxation.'

If the legislation goes ahead, Canada will be the second country to completely decriminalize cannabis use after Uruguay, which passed similar legislation in 2013 (pictured, people celebrate 4/20 in Ottawa)
If the legislation goes ahead, Canada will be the second country to completely decriminalize cannabis use after Uruguay, which passed similar legislation in 2013 (pictured, people celebrate 4/20 in Ottawa)

Justin Trudeau, who promised a review of cannabis laws as part of his election drive, has named Bill Blair, a former Toronto police chief, as his lead on the issue.

Blair has advocated applying a system similar to the way alcohol is sold to cannabis. 

He said: 'We control who it's sold to, when it's sold and how it's used, and organised crime doesn't have the opportunity to profit from it.'

However, Blair reminded cannabis users that the drug will remain illegal until the legislation is drafted and passed, and said police will still be expected to enforce the law.

Trudeau has said legalizing marijuana would fix a 'failed system' and help remove the 'criminal element' linked to the drug.

He also has said Canadians would benefit from analyzing the experiences of Colorado and Washington state. 

Gerard Deltell, a Conservative politician, said the country's proposed legislation would harm people's health and lead to life-long problems among users.

He said: 'That's one of the worst things you can do to Canadian youth - to open the door to marijuana ... it's wrong, all wrong.'  

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