Pubdate: Thu, 28 Apr 2016
Source: Nanaimo News Bulletin (CN BC)
Copyright: 2016, BC Newspaper Group
Contact:  http://www.nanaimobulletin.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/948

HAZY POT LAWS WILL CLEAR UP

The federal government will start clearing away some of the haze about
marijuana legalization.

Health Minister Jane Philpott announced April 20 that the government
is a year away from introducing legislation to legalize pot.

The particulars are unknown and, presumably, undetermined, but the
feds stressed they will look to keep the drug away from children and
the profits away from gangs. Legalization strategies will be developed
in consultation and co-operation with law enforcement.

Whatever the model, it will be complicated, as legalization comes with
related considerations such as taxation, education, and laws and
campaigns against stoned driving.

It's our hope that the legalized marijuana model will be an
improvement over the status quo. Particularly in recent years, there
has been a sort of selective decriminalization.

Sales at dispensaries are tolerated, yet smoking marijuana isn't
allowed. Pot shops at least purport to provide medicine and education
in a safe environment; then again, without over-arching regulations
and safety standards, we're left to take these dispensaries at their
word.

There are conceivable scenarios that could see these pot shops
legitimized a year from now, but there are other models, too, that we
might prefer.

It's possible that marijuana might be sold pretty much everywhere, or
only at a few select locations.

There are foreseeable problems now that legalization is closer than
ever. If dispensaries appear doomed, we might see more police raids,
with authorities looking to snuff out pot shops for good. Or we might
see the opposite outcome - a free-for-all with no crackdowns at all,
and even more pot sellers popping up to try to cash in while they can.

It seems likely that before legalization will come a year of
confusion, or worse. Maybe there's some way, in the meantime, to try
to stay mellow.  
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D