Pubdate: Tue, 13 Jun 2017
Source: Whitehorse Star (CN YK)
Copyright: 2017 Whitehorse Star
Contact:  http://www.whitehorsestar.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1493
Author: Sidney Cohen

TERRITORY IS PURSUING ITS OWN CANNABIS LEGISLATION

The Yukon government plans to have its own cannabis legislation in
place when marijuana becomes legal across Canada in July 2018.

The territorial law could pave the way for a retail weed market in the
territory, though the justice minister said it's too early to confirm
whether the Yukon legislation will support brick-and-mortar
dispensaries.

The purpose of the Yukon's legislation will be "to keep Yukoners safe,
to restrict access to cannabis to youth, and remove profits that are
related to organized crime," said minister Tracy-Anne McPhee.

Last Thursday, Brad Cathers, the justice critic for the Yukon Party,
asked about the Yukon government's plans for the distribution and sale
of marijuana in the territory.

The federal Cannabis Act "will create real challenges for the
provinces and territories that have to do the heavy lifting of dealing
with licensing, distribution, retail sales and highway enforcement,"
said Cathers.

McPhee said a working group was established and Justice is working in
co-ordination with Health and Social Services, Education and the Yukon
Liquor Corp. on legislation, but offered little in the way of detail.

Last November, a federal task force on marijuana conducted extensive
consultations with governments, youth, legal and health experts and
published a "framework" for pot legalization and regulation in Canada.

A "strong majority" of online comments submitted to the task force
supported the storefront model - distribution through privately owned
dispensaries.

"The advantage of the storefront model, according to many online
respondents, would be to foster competition that would keep prices low
and discourage the illegal market," reads the report.

Several submissions to the task force also suggested a retail weed
market could create jobs and boost local economies.

The Federation of Canadian Municipalities recommended that licensing
ensures the design of storefront operations does not "glamourize" the
use of pot.

Public health organizations said marijuana and alcohol should not be
sold at the same site.

The Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police warned that organized
crime might find its way into storefront operations, and said measures
should be taken to prevent this from happening.

Cathers asked whether the Yukon would seek financial assistance from
Ottawa to help deal with the "significant burden of developing a new
regulatory framework" for legal cannabis.

McPhee didn't have an answer to that question, but said "Yukoners'
safety and wellness is foremost in our minds" as the government
develops its cannabis plan.

Legislation proposed by the federal Liberals would allow adults aged
18 and older to posses up to 30 grams of dried marijuana, and share up
to 30 grams with other adults.

Cannabis would be purchased from a provincially licensed
retailer.

Provinces and territories would have the option of raising the age
restriction to bring it in line with the local minimum age for buying
alcohol.

Adults in provinces or territories that don't have a regulated retail
marijuana system would be able to order weed through the mail from a
federally licensed retailer.

The federal Cannabis Act would also create two new criminal offences:
one for giving or selling weed to a minor, and one for "using a youth
to commit a cannabis related offence."

Each of these offences carries a maximum prison sentence of 14 years.
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MAP posted-by: Matt