Recreational Marijuana Usage In The Province Of New Brunswick, Canada
Recreational marijuana usage and its legality has always been the subject of a lot of debate and discussion in Canada. Is the use of recreational marijuana legal in Canada? Can recreational marijuana be freely bought, sold, and used in all provinces of Canada? Read on to understand some of the facts about recreational marijuana and its legality in Canada.
Is Recreational Marijuana Usage Legal In Canada?
As of July 1, 2018, recreational marijuana is legal all over Canada. A federal order legalizing the recreational use of marijuana was passed in July 2017 and comes into effect on July 1, 2018. Although the order for the legalization had come from the federal government, it has been left to the provinces to get the details in place for the sale and use of marijuana in their respective provinces. Regulations regarding manufacture and creation of the substance are, however, mainly at the federal level.
The New Brunswick province in eastern Canada has been one of the most proactive provinces in terms of implementing this federal order for recreational marijuana. It has taken steps to ensure that the transition into legality is smooth in the province.
New Brunswick And The Federal Government Order About Recreational Marijuana
The provincial government in New Brunswick has been proactive in the implementation of the legalization order on recreational marijuana in the country to ensure the province does not lose out on the economic benefits of the federal order. The government has got doctors and other medical experts on board to understand the advantages and pitfalls of legalizing marijuana and to prepare sufficiently for potential problems.
The provincial government has created a Crown corporation for the sale and distribution of recreational marijuana. The government has also finalized two manufacturers/suppliers of the substance in the province. Here are some of the recommendations by the team of medical practitioners and experts to the provincial government on the subject of sale and availability of recreational marijuana in New Brunswick:
• The Crown corporation created for the purpose should have monopoly over the sale and distribution of recreational marijuana so that the substance can be regulated.
• Law enforcement officers should be trained and equipped to spot and stop as well as prevent drivers from driving under the influence of marijuana.
• There should be adequate awareness and education about the ill effects of the use of marijuana to discourage abuse and addiction. The use of the substance should, in no way, be actively encouraged by the government.
• The legal age to buy recreational marijuana has not been decided, but the recommendations mention those about 19 or 21 years of age can legally buy. The age has not been fixed yet.
New Brunswick expects to get an economic boost from the sale and regulation of recreational marijuana in the province. However, the focus seems to be to ensure that there are no safety concerns and the sale is strictly regulated so that the substance is sold only to citizens above a certain age.
