Pubdate: Tue, 03 May 2016
Source: Kamloops This Week (CN BC)
Copyright: 2016 Kamloops This Week
Contact:  http://www.kamloopsthisweek.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1271

OTTAWA'S HAZE 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: Jay Bergstrom