Canada is planning to legalize weed *so* soon — here’s what we know
We were already pretty obsessed with our neighbors to the north, what with their universal healthcare, paid parental leave, and their very dreamy prime minister Justin Trudeau. Now that Canada is planning to legalize weed within the year, there’s one more reason to consider moving up north (if only the climate was a taaaad warmer). The plan is to legalize pot by July 2018 and all they have to do is work out the kinks about how it will work in all of the different provinces.
But know this, people: Legal weed is coming to Canada very, very soon.
The weed and producers will be certified by Ottawa, and there’ll be an age limit of 18 to purchase it, but each province will have the freedom to figure out their price points and how to distribute it. (They’ll also be able to raise the age limit, but let’s focus on the positive news.)
Families that want to grow their own stash will be able to have four plants, according to the outline the Liberal party in Canada introduced. But nothing is legal yet, so if you’re in Canada and thinking about growing, buying, or selling weed, all the same laws apply. But Trudeau says he’s keeping good on this campaign promise.
Already, there are 39 producers that are licensed through the Canadian health system to sell medical marijuana to patients via a mail-order system. After the news broke Monday that Trudeau planned on taking action to get the whole legalization process underway, marijuana stocks went through the roof. Many of them are making plans to ramp up production so that they could also supply the legal recreational market once the legislation is passed.
Those medical producers are obviously pleased with the news, but many of them thought that Trudeau has been slacking and expected weed to be legal by this spring — not next summer. Already, they had started to increase production, so if passing the marijuana legislation takes any longer than the new projected timeline, there’s going to a surplus of Canadian marijuana. Just, you know, something to think about it.
There’s going to be a lot of good Canadian weed going around.
But weed producers and distributors are still ready for it to happen eventually, according to Vice Canada. Even better, the legislation means that there will be a lot more regulators inspecting Canadian weed to make sure that it’s safe and potent for medical and recreational usage. Maybe once Canada is in business, the U.S. will see how useful and profitable the plant is. The way the world is heading these days, they could at least give us the freedom to get high, right?
