Quote (Ghot @ Nov 17 2017 11:27pm)
No, this is current. Canada passed medical marijuana laws a while back, but this is official. The recreational marijuana laws go into effect July 1st 2018.
First I saw of this was about 3 months ago, and was still just speculation. Apparently, according to the articles, this is real. There are even ex-police chiefs getting in the ground floor on the growing end of things.
/e I've never known Reuters to make mistakes that would be THIS big.
July 1st 2018 has been rumored since Trudeau gained office
Quote
After he was elected Prime Minister in 2015, the first significant step that Justin Trudeau took was the creation of a federal-provincial-territorial task force to discuss a jointly suitable process for the legalization of cannabis possession for casual use. This Task Force on Marijuana Legalization and Regulation released a 106-page report to the public on 13 December 2016, with various recommendations. Those are being considered by the federal and provincial governments but they are not binding.[15] While the legislation is expected to be introduced in spring 2017, sales for recreational use will probably not commence until January 2018 according to Canada's Parliamentary Budget Officer.[16] Subsequently, the substance will remain controlled: sold only at government licensed retailers, and grown only by licensed producers.[17][18] During the federal election campaign, the Liberals had promised "new, stronger laws" against sales to minors, driving while impaired and sales through channels not specifically authorized to do so.[19]
Until legislation is enacted, marijuana remains illegal (except with a physician's prescription, for medical purposes), as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau reminded police forces across the country in late 2016. He insisted that they "enforce the law": criminally charge illegal storefront dispensaries. Trudeau also explained that the intent of the legislation is not to encourage recreational use of cannabis. The intent is "to better protect our kids from the easy access they have right now to marijuana [and] to remove the criminal elements that were profiting from marijuana," he told the Toronto Star on 2 December 2016.[20]
Police forces took the Prime Minister seriously and in March 2017 raided five locations of the Cannabis Culture retailer in Toronto, one in Vancouver, BC and another in Hamilton, Ontario. They also searched homes in Toronto, Stoney Creek and Vancouver. Multiple charges were laid against Marc and Jodie Emery, said to be "linked to" Cannabis Culture, for trafficking and other violations. Drug-related charges were laid against three others. Toronto Police told the media that the unlicensed marijuana dispensaries are linked to "high-level drug traffickers ... often tied to organized crime, given the amount of marijuana sold". The couple were released on bail with strict conditions.[21]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannabis_in_Canada#Steps_to_legalizationthey're figuring out if there will be any repercussions for it
This post was edited by KrWWW on Nov 17 2017 10:34pm