Canada is the first, Amerika is not ready and all the people are ready to accept marijuana
Earlier today, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government introduced legislation to legalize recreational marijuana in Canada, but the harsh language of the new legislation might be a buzzkill for the country's cannabis advocates. The cannabis bills introduced today will impose "significant penalties" for anyone who breaks Canada's new marijuana rules.
But let's start with the bright side. Prime Minister Trudeau's cannabis legislation would allow adults 18 or over to possess up to 30 grams of cannabis in public. They can also share cannabis with each other or buy it as well as cannabis oil and other cannabis products from retailers regulated by Canada's provinces and territories.
Canadians would also be allowed to grow up to four plants at home for personal use. That's four per resident, not per residence. So a home with two adults could grow up to eight plants. And they can craft their own cannabis products at home.
So far so good, right? Well, let's get to the penalties outlined in the bill. The toughest penalty by far the 14-year prison sentence Canadians could face for providing marijuana to minors. And anyone who creates cannabis products that appeal to youths or promotes cannabis products to minors can face up to three years in jail and a fine of $5-million dollars.
So if you had any ideas of creating THC-infused gummies shaped like SpongeBob SquarePants, think again. And don't get any ideas about shipping legal cannabis to America or elsewhere in the world. The government's new legislation would uphold the current ban on exporting marijuana from or importing cannabis into Canada.
The government promised to be similarly severe with drugged drivers. Anyone caught driving with prohibited levels of THC in their blood would face punishment. And the government promised to take a "zero-tolerance approach" to drug-impaired driving.
Legislators Promise Tough Regulations
If those regulations seem a bit harsh, it's because they're supposed to be. "It is not our intent to promote the use of this drug," Parliamentary Secretary Bill Blair said during a press conference following the introduction of the legislation. "We want to permit more healthful and socially responsible use."
In other words, they don't care if their bills are buzzkills. The purpose of legalization - Blair stressed repeatedly - is to keep cannabis away from kids, and to keep profits from selling marijuana away from organized crime.
"I have spent most of my adult life protecting communities and keeping children safe," said Blair, a retired Toronto police chief. "I know that our country has some of the highest cannabis use rates in the world," he added, noting that an estimated 21 percent of Canadian youths and 30 percent of Canadian adults are illegally using cannabis right now.
AI
