The highly controversial drug, which has harnessed the spotlight in the United States and forced presidential candidates to step out of their comfort zones during national debates, is making headlines north of the border in Canada, where lawmakers are pushing ever closer to legalizing the drug for recreational purposes.
Canada moves toward legalization
As it stands now, marijuana is legal across Canada for medicinal or industrial purposes as long as you have a government-issued license. Recreational marijuana is also acceptable in some cities, but the laws governing recreational marijuana aren’t universal across the vast expanse of Canada.
Understandably, it won’t be a free-for-all; there will still be restrictions on access to recreational marijuana. However, Canada appears poised to become the first G7 nation (a group of seven leading global countries) to legalize marijuana in the somewhat near future.
The expected legalization in Canada is also made possible by the fact that medical marijuana has been legal in the country (at least for certain ailments) since 2001. Because Canada has had the groundwork laid out regarding growing, processing, and selling the drug for medicinal purposes for quite some time, the assumption is that the transition to nationwide legalization for recreational purposes should be smooth and straightforward.
Despite Canada’s willingness to push forward with its legalization efforts, it may uncover potential legalization potholes that are similar to what its neighbors to the south have experienced.
For example, Canada may discover that it’s really difficult regulating edible marijuana. Not only can it be tough policing the quality and consistency of the product being produced, but it’s a lot tougher to regulate a product that looks like an after-dinner treat and not like a green-leafed plant. Ensuring edibles are properly labeled and that they don’t fall into the hands of minors could be challenging. This is something that Colorado and Washington are both working to perfect at the moment.
Consistent regulation and seed-to-sale tracking is a huge challenge for the marijuana business anywhere. With Industry leaders supporting and encouraging compliance within reasonable guidelines will enable safe access to marijuana and growth of the marijuana industry in Canada and the US.
Read the full article from the Source: As Canada Moves to Legalize Marijuana, U.S. Hope for Legalization Remains a Pipedream — The Motley Fool
Or checkout what is happening with Marijuana legalization in Mexico here.
