New Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Plans to Legalize Marijuana

In a December 4th speech, Canada's new Liberal government outlined its legislative plan for the country going forward. Included in that agenda was a measure to fully legalize the recreational use of marijuana. Newly elected prime minister Justin Trudeau has reaffirmed this plan, which would make Canada the first G7 nation to legalize the substance.

To support this plan, Trudeau claims the measure would help Canada's criminal justice system while slowing down organized drug trade. The prime minister has also claimed that legalizing and regulating marijuana could help the government keep it out of the hands of children. According to a recent Forum Research poll, about 59% of Canadians support Justin Trudeau's measure to legalize marijuana. With the public support and a Liberal majority in the parliament's lower house, the government will most likely have an easy time pushing through the law.

Using U.S. states like Washington and Colorado--who have already legalized recreational marijuana use--as guides, the Canadian government will attempt to learn from past mistakes. The Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse has studied the U.S. states and issued a report to the Canadian government, advising that they take time to deliberate the laws. When Colorado legalized recreational marijuana, it ran into a few problems because there was no cap set on how much pot could be used in edible products.

In 2013, Uruguay became the first country in the world to fully legalize marijuana--including the cultivation, sale and consumption of the substance. The country has faced its own struggles in the process, so the world will be watching Canada as prime minister Justin Trudeau attempts to pioneer a new generation of recreational marijuana laws.