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Justin Trudeau Moves To Completely Legalise Marijuana In Canada

Justin Trudeau Moves To Completely Legalise Marijuana In Canada

Anyone fancy moving?

Mel Ramsay

Mel Ramsay

Justin Trudeau has certainly made waves since becoming Prime Minister of Canada back in 2015.

He's incredibly liberal and generally just a sound person.

He's a strong advocate of LGBT+ rights (he became the first ever Canadian Prime Minister to march in their Gay Pride parade), he's a feminist, plus he wants to legalise marijuana.

via GIPHY

On Thursday, Trudeau introduced legislation to legalise the recreational use of marijuana in Canada. Really, he should've waited until April 20 for full effect.

4/20, bro.

The bill is expected to pass and once it does, Canada will become the second nation in the world (after Uruguay) to completely legalise marijuana.

Bill Blair, a lawmaker and former Toronto police chief, is currently managing the legislation on behalf of Trudeau. He said: "Criminal prohibition has failed to protect our kids and our communities.

"We do accept that important work remains to be done," he added.

The government hopes that marijuana will be completely legal as a consumer product as of mid-2018.

via GIPHY

Also, get this. Households will be allowed to grow up to four plants each. However, most consumption will hopefully come through legitimate channels that are monitored and supervised by government.

Drivers won't be allowed on the road within two hours of consuming an intoxicating amount of marijuana, plus selling to minors will carry a heavy penalty, most likely a 14-year prison sentence. Damn.

Mr. Blair and Ralph Goodale, the Public Safety Minister added that growing, importing, exporting or selling marijuana outside licensed channels will remain serious crimes, reports NY Times.

The statement released by the government said: "The current approach to cannabis does not work. It has allowed criminals and organized crime to profit, while failing to keep cannabis out of the hands of Canadian youth. In many cases, it is easier for our kids to buy cannabis than cigarettes."

It continued: "The proposed Cannabis Act would create a strict legal framework for controlling the production, distribution, sale and possession of cannabis in Canada.

"Following Royal Assent, the proposed legislation would allow adults to legally possess and use cannabis.

"This would mean that possession of small amounts of cannabis would no longer be a criminal offence and would prevent profits from going into the pockets of criminal organizations and street gangs.

"The Bill would also, for the first time, make it a specific criminal offence to sell cannabis to a minor and create significant penalties for those who engage young Canadians in cannabis-related offences."

No-one knows yet how much weed will cost or how much it'll be taxed, but surely this is all a step in the right direction? More money for the government, more money for everyone, right?

Featured Image Credit: PA Images

Topics: Marijuana, weed, Canada