Pubdate: Thu, 03 Mar 2016
Source: Orillia Today (CN ON)
Copyright: 2016 Metroland Printing, Publishing and Distributing
Contact:  http://www.simcoe.com/orillia-on
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1508

CLARITY NEEDED ON POT PLANS

The legalization of marijuana is not near the top of the agenda for
Justin Trudeau's Liberal government.

But maybe it should be.

Governments, police, businesses, users and aspiring entrepreneurs
alike are all increasingly anxious to get some clarity on where Canada
is headed on this issue.

A lot of people are seeing dollar signs.

Last week, the Globe and Mail revealed both Shoppers Drug Mart and
London Drugs are working toward becoming distributors of medical marijuana.

Should pharmacy chains enter the pot arena, it could have a profound
impact on smaller, independent distributors.

As well, last week, a federal court struck down Conservative
legislation that prevented users of medical marijuana from growing
their own plants.

Ottawa has six months to rewrite the rules, but you can bet many
medical users are already planting some buds.

In terms of law enforcement, minor pot offences will continue to be
prosecuted according to existing laws, said Liberal MP Bill Blair, who
is heading up the government's transition to legal pot. But Blair also
said the government will, at some point, offer amnesty to people with
previous pot-possession criminal convictions.

The mixed messaging can only prompt police forces to consider whether
or not they should even bother.

Given that in 2014, police laid more than 20,000 pot-related charges,
perhaps a little restraint is a good idea anyway.

Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne continues to lobby for pot sales
through LCBO outlets.

While restricting pot to LCBO stores may be the best option in terms
of keeping it out of the hands of kids, it would inhibit potential
economic spinoffs from a growing industry.

And then there's the growing business of selling medicinal pot through
the mail. Police can do little about it, since they only have the
power to seize mail when there is an issue of national security.

By promising legalization, Trudeau has let a genie out of a bottle. He
needs to act quickly to provide stakeholders with the tools they need
to move forward.
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MAP posted-by: Matt