Canadian Government to Publish Review of Cannabis Legalization
The Canadian government says it will move ahead with its long-awaited review of the country’s cannabis legalization policy.
In a press announcement on Thursday, September 22, the country’s minister and assistant minister of health announced the launch of the legislative review of the Cannabis Act.
The review was set to start last October, three years after Canada legalized recreational cannabis, but the process was delayed for unknown reasons.
A cannabis review
An independent panel, chaired by Morris Rosenberg, deputy minister of foreign affairs, will carry out the review and assess whether Canada met its initial objectives for its legal cannabis market.
“I am honoured to be leading the Expert Panel in conducting a thorough, independent review of the Cannabis Act,” Rosenberg said in a statement.
“I look forward to hearing the perspectives of the public, stakeholders, and First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples through the online engagement process underway.”
These initial objectives of the market included protecting “the health and safety of Canadians” while establishing “a diverse and competitive legal industry made up of small and large players to displace the illicit market.”
The panel’s review will apparently focus on the health and cannabis consumption habits of young people, the impact of cannabis on Indigenous communities, and the impact of the cultivation of cannabis plants in a housing context.
To inform the review, the panel plan to consult with such focus groups, including young people and Indigenous peoples, as well as cannabis industry representatives and medical cannabis patients.
To begin some of these consultations, an online engagement process has been launched. All Canadians are invited to readTaking Stock of Progress: Cannabis Legalization and Regulation in Canada and to share their views via an online questionnaire or through written feedback until November 21, 2022.
First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples are invited to read and provide feedback by November21, 2022, on the Summary from Engagement with First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples.
