Canada’s new prime minister Justin Trudeau promised to legalize marijuana ‘right away

While on the campaign trail, Justin Trudeau said he would get to work “right away” on a policy to legalize and regulate recreational marijuana sales in Canada. With Trudeau’s election as prime minister Tuesday, the big questions now are when and how will Canada legalize pot?

"We don't yet know exactly [at] what rate we're going to be taxing it, how we're going to control it, or whether it will happen in the first months, within the first year, or whether it's going to take a year or two to kick in," Trudeau said while campaigning in British Columbia Oct. 1, the CBC reported.

Despite the lack of a comprehensive plan or timeline, shares in marijuana companies, including Canopy Growth and Mettrum, rose Tuesday, Bloomberg reported. “I think what you’ll see perhaps, after this election … is a recognition that there is an opportunity to collect taxes on something that is already being sold into the market illegally or illicitly,” said Bruce Linton, the chief executive of Canopy Growth, speaking with the Guardian.

If Trudeau follows through on his campaign promise, it would make Canada the first developed nation to legally implement the legalization of marijuana.


http://www.rawstory.com/2015/10/canadas-new-prime-minister-justin-trudeau-promised-to-legalize-marijuana-right-away/