Better education needed to warn youth of weed risks
The legalization of recreational marijuana on Oct. 17, 2018 was a popular move. The legislation’s attraction stems from the perceived advantages of legalization: getting organized crime out of the marijuana business, removing the heavy hand of the criminal justice system from large sections of the population, especially minors, and the proper regulation and control of […]
Feds should snuff out excise tax on medical cannabis
The legalization of cannabis is a remarkable accomplishment of the current government. Ending nearly a century of cannabis prohibition in Canada was a fundamental policy change. Although it was not universally supported, it was the right decision and it is precipitating an evolution in global cannabis policy. The classic advice given to new cannabis consumers […]
Protecting the health and safety of Canadians remains our top priority
On Oct. 17, 2018, after extensive consultations with Canadians, study and input from Parliamentarians, and close collaboration with other levels of government, Indigenous organizations, experts and stakeholders, the government of Canada brought the Cannabis Act into force. The legislation delivers on our promise to establish a strict legal framework for the production, distribution, sale and […]
Legalizing pot will not weed out organized crime
On Oct. 17, 2018, the Canadian government legalized the possession and use of recreational marijuana for persons over the age of 18. The government’s stated rationale was, in part, “to keep profits from going into the pockets of criminal organizations and street gangs.” One analog is Canada’s cigarette industry, which continues to fight an uphill […]
Cannabis legalization a Green ideal
The Green Party of Canada was the first federal party to advocate for the legalization of cannabis. In our view, criminalization only helped organized crime to reap benefits while using marijuana to introduce young Canadians to harder and more dangerous drugs. In 1998, the Green Party endorsed policies governing the production and distribution of marijuana […]
Permanent residents should pay the same price as Canadians who drive impaired
It has been more than a month since the Cannabis Act and its companion legislation, Bill C-46, Impaired Driving Act, have come into force. While the Cannabis Act itself was widely discussed in public, there was comparatively little debate about Bill C-46, which may have disastrous consequences for permanent residents in Canada. As per the […]
Weed or feed? A Canadian food security issue
In December, the University of Guelph and Dalhousie University released the 9th edition of Canada’s Food Price Report, and while the report paints a generally rosy picture of 2019 food prices, partly due to decreasing meat prices and small increases across most food categories, a sobering statistic from the report was that overall food prices are expected to increase by 1.5 to […]
‘Recreational marijuana is now officially legal in Canada. What do you think of the roll-out so far?’
Cameron Ahmad Liberal strategist “Consumption rates of recreational marijuana among Canadian youth are among the highest in the developed world. Every year, billions of dollars pour into the pockets of organized crime due to the failed policy of prohibition. Experts agreed that the government should develop a new system to protect young people and our […]
Health Canada parts ways with partner in cannabis-education campaign over links to opioid manufacturer
A group that partnered with Health Canada to hand out thousands of educational brochures on cannabis decided to scrap its distribution deal after the government added clauses barring it from accepting funds from pharmaceutical and cannabis companies. Drug Free Kids Canada (DFK), a registered charity, developed the Cannabis Talk Kit, a 24-page booklet designed to […]
My cannabis takeaway? Canada’s now only slightly crazier than usual
TORONTO—We come not to praise cannabis legalization, but to mock it. If there was ever a more confusing and chaotic rollout of government policy, it is hard to think of what that might be. The GST? The NEP? The Bay of Pigs? In fairness to the Trudeau Party, which came up with the idea of […]
