Cannabis Legalization in Canada: Background and Impacts
In October 2018, Canada made history by becoming the first G7 nation to federally legalize recreational cannabis. The groundbreaking law realized a campaign pledge by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his Liberal government, who argued that regulated legal access is weed legal in Canada ? Now over four years later, it’s worth looking back on the background behind this monumental policy change and the impacts thus far. Why Canada Legalized For decades leading up to legalization, calls for cannabis reform gained momentum across Canada. Though initially prohibited in 1923, increasing awareness and changing social attitudes put pressure on politicians to re-examine pot laws. A major impetus was recognizing that prohibition disproportionately impacted minority communities despite similar usage rates. Canada also clearly saw the tide turning with numerous states legalizing marijuana in the U.S. The Liberal Party made federal cannabis legalization a central 2015 election campaign promise...