Another 4/20 surprise in Canada?

Canada’s march toward recreational marijuana legalization appeared to slow when Bill Blair, the parliamentarian who heads the government’s legalization task force, declined to say whether the new adult-use system will be ready by next year or if work may stretch into 2019. He added that sales may not happen until 2019. Canadian cannabis stocks tumbled in response.

But Paul Pedersen, a cannabis consultant with Greywood Partners in Vancouver, British Columbia, expects cannabis sales will start next year. Pedersen added that Blair’s comments – plus statements from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and top officials about the need to obey existing federal cannabis prohibitions – aren’t a surprise for a government that’s self-conscious about appearing overly enthusiastic toward cannabis.

“Politicians have to appeal to a wider base, and the average voter doesn’t want to see a politician openly embracing marijuana or another drug or alcohol,” Pedersen said.

Pedersen noted the Trudeau government still believes legalization is the right policy and has given much thought to how recreational cannabis should be regulated. “People are going to be surprised with how fast this moves, despite Blair’s comments,” Pedersen said.

In fact, Pedersen expects the government will unveil legislation for rec legalization on or around April 20 – much as it did last April 20 when it announced plans to introduce legislation this spring.

The legislation, Pedersen predicted, will be based on the government’s marijuana task force report released in December. He also believes the federal government will regulate cultivation, while decisions about cannabis distribution – via retail stores, liquor stores, pharmacies, etc. – will be left to the provinces. It will take provinces time to launch their programs. But consumers may not have to wait: Pedersen believes the federal government will allow existing federally licensed cultivators to mail product to rec customers – like they now do for medical cannabis patients.

“These licensed producers are already doing mail order, so that’s going to be an easy rollout for them,” Pedersen said.

SOURCE: Marijuana Business Daily (mjbizdaily.com)

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