Legalization of marijuana and its recreational use in Canada
This Wednesday, October 17, 2018, Canada will become the first industrialized country to legalize the recreational use of marijuana.
The beginnings of this legalization date back to October 2015 when Justin Trudeau's Liberal Party won the general election. Their platform included the full legalization of marijuana use, and since then Canada has been preparing for the moment.
Although legal cannabis use is possible in some US states and in Uruguay, "this is an experiment that many other countries are watching," says David Hammond, a professor at the University of Waterloo specializing in public health.
Bill Blair, Minister for Border Security, stated that after legalization the objective is "to keep cannabis out of the reach of young people and the profits out of the hands of criminals.".
Main consequences of legalization
Economic:
One of the first consequences will be economic, as a new industry has been created in the country. Major supermarkets have applied for permits to sell marijuana, and marijuana production has increased as dozens of companies are cultivating cannabis for sale.
It is known that the multinational Coca-Cola is reportedly interested in creating beverages with CBD. (cannabidiol).
Shares in companies such as Aurora Cannabis, Cannopy Growth, and Tilray have soared, and the market capitalization of the leading companies reached $51 billion last September.
Towns like Smith Falls have been revived thanks to the cannabis industry. This town lost its main source of employment, a chocolate factory, in 2009, but now Cannopy Growth has converted the factory for cannabis production and created 800 direct jobs, turning Smith Falls into a tourist destination thanks to organized tours of its marijuana cultivation center.
Social:
A 35% increase in marijuana consumption is expected after its legalization.
It should be noted that the marijuana produced today is three times more potent than that which existed 20 years ago.
Many companies are establishing rules that will guide cannabis use among their employees, the government will have to create education campaigns, and organizations are asking that consideration be given to how it will affect road safety in terms of driving under its influence.
Fountain: The Economist
Remember that in our marijuana seed bank Genehtik you can acquire several quality and guaranteed genetics.