The federal task force on marijuana legalization released it’s 106 page report of 80 recommendations on Tuesday for the government’s planned end to cannabis prohibition.
The task force chair and former Liberal cabinet minister Anne McLellan had this to say:
We are the largest developed country to ever move on legalization. The 5-month long process included visits to legal markets including Colorado, Washington and Uruguay.
Now is the time to move away from a system that for decades has been based on prohibition of cannabis into a regulated market.
All in all, the recommendations were largely applauded by the industry and activists alike.
Don’t have time to read through 106 pages? We got your back friends. Below you will find the key recommendations summarized. Enjoy!
- Federal task force recommends marijuana be sold at store front and mail order
- Minimum legal age would be 18, must be sold away from schools and not with alcohol
- Canadians could carry up to 30 grams and grow four plants at home
- The group of experts is also recommending that high-potency products be more heavily taxed, to “discourage” their use in the general public.
- Under the proposal that was released on Tuesday, the production of marijuana for recreational purposes would follow the system that is currently in use for medical marijuana, which is overseen and heavily regulated by Health Canada.
- At the same time, the report urged the federal government to eventually allow “craft” and outdoor production under strict security conditions.
- Recreational marijuana would be sold under a provincially regulated system that would ensure that the drug is not distributed in the same locations as alcohol.
- The sales points would be located far from schools, with the report urging the provinces to establish “limits on the density and location of storefronts.”
- The report added that provinces where the legal drinking age is 19 could impose the same limit for the consumption of recreational marijuana.
- In addition, the task force is calling for a number of warnings on the products, such as “Keep out of reach of children.”
- On the issue of edible marijuana products, the task force is advocating a number of conditions, including ensuring they are not marketed toward children, for example by prohibiting candies and colourful packaging.
- In addition, the government is being urged to ban products in which marijuana is mixed with alcohol or caffeine.
- In order to ensure the public’s safety, the report said that the following activities should remain criminal: trafficking to youth, illicit production, trafficking and import/export of marijuana.
- In addition, the report calls on all levels of government to “send a clear message to Canadians that cannabis causes impairment and that the best way to avoid driving impaired is to not consume.”
- The government should simultaneously invest in research to set a limit on THC levels for cannabis-impaired driving, the report said.
- At the same time, the government should create exemptions for “social sharing” of marijuana for recreational purposes.