Canada to legalize cannabis in spring 2017

Canada’s Liberal government will introduce its new cannabis legislation to decriminalize and regulate recreational cannabis in the fall of 2017, according to Health Minister Jane Philpott, whose name seems almost predestined (Jane is half of Mary Jane, Marie-Jeanne, and pot (which means "cannabis" in English).

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, had promised during his 2015 campaign that the government would legalize medical cannabis, following the examples of the U.S. states of Washington and Colorado, but no timeline had been set.

Jane Philpott made the announcement on April 20 during the special session of the’United Nations General Assembly in New York which is currently debating global drug policy. She went out of her way to reassure her counterparts of Canada’s commitment to keeping children away from cannabis and preventing criminal networks from profiting from its sale.

«We will work with law enforcement to promote proportionate and appropriate measures,» she said. «We know we cannot ignore this issue.».

Former Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair, who serves as the Canadian government’s cannabis policy lead, emphasized that current laws banning cannabis remain in effect.

The medical marijuana is a separate issue from recreational cannabis in Canada and is already legal. Canadian medical cannabis growers are already facing competition from illegal cannabis dispensaries, which are taking away their customers, even though the government has not yet decided how to regulate cannabis sales.

Canadian medical patients will be able to grow their own cannabis following a court ruling issued last March.