Trudeau government to introduce bill to legalize pot

NEW YORK, NY (NEWS 1130) – We now know when the Trudeau government will introduce legislation to legalize marijuana. Federal Health Minister Jane Philpott says the long-awaited bill will be introduced in the spring of 2017.

The announcement was made as she gave an impassioned speech about drug policy at the United Nations General Assembly.

Philpott says Canada’s plan on pot “challenges the status quo in many countries,” but says the federal government is convinced it is the best way to protect young people while enhancing public safety. “We will work with law enforcement partners to encourage appropriate and proportionate criminal justice measures. We know it is impossible to arrest our way out of this problem.”

She gave no other details about the legislation but says it will be rooted in scientific evidence while addressing the devastating consequences of drugs and drug-related crimes. “Addressing problematic drug use is a shared challenge. The solutions are also collective involving governments, Indigenous peoples, civil society, youth [and] scientists.”

A spokesperson for the health minister says in the coming weeks the federal government will launch its task force to study every aspect of legalizing, regulating and tightly restricting access to marijuana.

This announcement comes on 4/20, a day in which pot activists and users celebrate cannabis culture.

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