Justin Trudeau says Canada's legalization of cannabis has not elicited negative reactions from the international community

During the Mathieu Kassovitz's investigation Regarding the various cannabis regulations around the world, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated that fears of an international backlash following the legalization of cannabis for adult use in 2018 were completely unfounded. This message has not gone unnoticed by countries considering cannabis reform.

In the report, Justin Trudeau discussed the country’s pioneering move toward legalizing cannabis for adult use, describing it as a smooth transition that took «15 minutes,» with few significant societal changes other than a reduction in the strain on the judicial system.

Justin Trudeau on UN treaties during an interview released yesterday:
A French journalist asked if he saw any downside risks associated with the legalization of cannabis.

"The only drawback we were extremely concerned about was that it would put us in violation of certain international treaties… pic.twitter.com/UrYhdt6Z3Q

— WeedStreet420 (@WeedStreet420) April 4, 2024

ADVERTISING

«The only thing that really worried us was that it would put us outside the scope of certain international treaties on drug control,» Mr. Trudeau said.

«We wondered if people would punish Canada because it wasn’t in line with the treaties. No one mentioned that to us. People watched with interest to see what we were doing.»

«The other drawback is that there's still work to be done, but there's nothing negative enough to suggest that we shouldn't have done it.»

The potential violation of United Nations treaties—in particular, the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs—has been cited repeatedly as an obstacle to cannabis legalization in recent years, even though experts have shown that ways to legalize cannabis while complying with the Conventions.

This so-called obstacle played a played an important role in Germany's recent decline in its plans to launch a commercial market for adults and remains a key consideration for the Czech Republic's cannabis initiative, the last country in Europe to push for a free market.

In the United States, the Drug Enforcement Agency the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which is currently studying the the possibility of reclassifying cannabis under Schedule III, has already cited international treaties to justify abandoning previous attempts at reform.