Canada has a legal medical cannabis program that launched in early 2014, but the federal elections on 10/19 could lead to the country becoming among the first major nations to legalize it for adult-use. Vice’s article begins:
With Canada’s Liberal Party suddenly surging ahead in the polls, it’s all the more likely weed could be fully legalized after next week’s federal election.
Liberal leader Justin Trudeau has vowed to legalize marijuana for regular use “right away” if elected — a policy the ruling Conservatives allege is naive and will ruin society. But Trudeau, who once admitted he “had a puff” of the drug after he was elected to Parliament in 2008, has yet to explain how exactly his legal regime would work and at what rate the substance would be taxed.
The article points to other uncertainties as well, but the most interesting part of the story is a quote from Bruce Linton, the CEO of Canopy Growth Corp, which holds 4 of the 26 federal licenses and operates both Bedrocan and Tweed, who thinks legalization would benefit the current group of licensed producers in the MMPR program:
I would think that for licensed producers — which are large, regulated, and under controlled shipping and accounting procedures — would be the first choice for delivery because that’s the first methodology to gain control of the supply chain. The biggest risk for the sector right now is that there would be a such a high rate of growth and demand, that could make it difficult to do a terrific job of supplying properly and professionally.
Read Rachel Browne’s “Canada’s Medical Weed Industry Braces for Legalization if Liberals Win Election”: https://news.vice.com/article/canadas-medical-weed-industry-braces-for-legalization-if-liberals-win-election
