Cannabis legalization in Canada has not benefited research

According to the Toronto newspaper The Globe and Mail, the former Canadian health minister said that the lack of research following the legalization of recreational cannabis in 2018 was a «major disappointment.».

«The biggest disappointment with the legalization initiative is that governments and researchers did not step up as we had hoped they would after legalization to conduct much of this research,» said Anne McLellan, who was a member of the working group tasked with laying the groundwork for legalization.

«There are many things we don't know and will need to know.»

She added that she had hoped the government would encourage private-sector actors to carry out research on the effects of cannabis use, which had been severely restricted during Prohibition.

According to the former president of the working group that laid the groundwork for legalization With the legalization of recreational cannabis in the country, the federal government of Canada could face legal consequences if it does not facilitate research into the potential health issues faced by cannabis users.

Since the most recent study on cannabis sales and consumption was published by Health Canada in 2013, Ms. McLellan stated that the government could «potentially» face a class-action lawsuit.

Despite this, she noted that such a trial could still take place several years from now, and that the government therefore has enough time to rectify the situation.