Pubdate: Thu, 20 Apr 2017
Source: Northumberland Today (CN ON)
Copyright: 2017 Sun Media
Contact: http://www.northumberlandtoday.com/letters
Website: http://www.northumberlandtoday.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/5003
Author: Ralph Goodale
Page: A5

CHANGING MARIJUANA LAWS

If your objectives are to protect public health and safety, keep
marijuana out of the hands of minors and cut illegal profits flowing
to organized crime - then the law as it stands today has been an
abject failure.

Law enforcement agencies in Canada spend an estimated $2-3 billion a
year trying to fight pot, yet Canadian teenagers are among the
heaviest users in the western world. And criminals walk away with $7-8
billion every year in illicit proceeds. We have to do better.

Health and safety objectives have been in the forefront of our
approach to cannabis. The new legislation we introduced last week
reflects that - to do a better job of protecting our kids and fighting
crime.

We have benefited from the advice of an Expert Task Force which
gathered the best available data, medical and legal input, the
experiences of other jurisdictions and the views of Canadians. Our
proposals are in line with their recommendations.

The new law would create a framework for legalizing, strictly
regulating and restricting the use of cannabis:

* Only adults (18 years of age and older) will have legal access
through an appropriate retail framework, and sourced from a safe and
well-regulated industry, or grown in small amounts at home (i.e., a
maximum of four plants in any one residence).

* Provinces will be able to set a higher minimum age or a lower home
limit, if they deem that appropriate.

* It will be legal for adults to possess, use and share (with other
adults) up to 30 grams in public.

* Commercial producers of cannabis will be federally-licensed and
security cleared. Strict product safety and standards will be
required. Mail order distribution will be allowed, but generally
retail operations will be under provincial jurisdiction to regulate.
Municipalities will be able to enact local bylaws reflecting community
preferences (e.g., where cannabis is produced or consumed).

* Serious criminal penalties will apply to all those operating outside
this framework, with a strong focus on illicit production and
trafficking, those who try to exploit children and youth, and
drug-impaired driving. Importing and exporting cannabis will also
remain illegal (unless exceptionally authorized for medical or
scientific purposes by Health Canada).

* For a young person (under 18), it will be an offence to possess, use
or share marijuana. Prosecutions will be governed by the Youth
Criminal Justice Act. Criminal charges will not be laid where the
amount involved is under 5 grams, but provinces could create
"ticketable" offences to deal with such small amounts.

* Promotion, packaging, labelling and display will be tightly
controlled to ensure factual accuracy and prevent appeals to young
people.

* The new law will be accompanied by a strong public education
campaign to explain the risks and dangers associated with the use of
pot, especially by young people, and to warn against irresponsible
behaviour at any age.

Ralph Goodale Minister of Public Safety
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MAP posted-by: Matt