Canada Legalized Marijuana Carried Out On October 17, 2018
2018-10-21
It is well known that Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau announced on the afternoon of June 20 that Canada would legalize marijuana with effect from October 17, 2018. With the arrival of October 17, the news was officially implemented. 
Canada has banned marijuana possession since 1923 and allowed medicinal use since 2001. It is the second country in the world to fully legalize marijuana, the first being Uruguay in South America.
Justin Trudeau told a news conference that to give the provinces time to prepare fully, including setting up online sales and physical stores, improving distribution and regulatory mechanisms, and getting things right, legalization of marijuana is scheduled for October 17, 2018.
Canada's justice minister, Jody Wilson-Raybould, said it was a historic bill, but stressed that non-medicinal marijuana was still illegal until the official date of full legalization.
When the legalization act takes effect, Canadian adults will be able to buy marijuana or sesame oil at qualified stores, hold up to 30 grams of dried marijuana in public, or grow up to four POTS of pot at home. The legal age to buy marijuana is 18 under federal rules, but some provinces have them as 19. The penalty is up to 14 years in prison for the illegal sale of marijuana to teenagers.
In addition, all cannabis packaging must be very simple, with harsh health warnings. Edible marijuana products will not be allowed for at least a year.
Many expect a lot of bumps in the road. Additional legislation aimed at enforcing the law on alcohol or drug use is pending in the Senate. It is also a question of whether those convicted of illegal marijuana possession in the past will be granted amnesty; How to protect the rights of people who do not use marijuana and make sure that teenagers stay away from the temptation of marijuana, more attention.
Most countries, with the exception of Canada and Uruguay, have banned marijuana altogether, but in recent years it has been decriminalized in some places. The British government recently said it would review the use of medicinal marijuana.
Medicinal marijuana is now legal in 14 European countries, Israel, Argentina, Puerto Rico, Panama, Mexico, Turkey, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Medical marijuana is permitted in Washington and 29 states, nine of which allow both medical and personal use.
Countries such as Spain, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia, Jamaica, Chile, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, and Luxembourg have legislated to ease personal use. 
