Recreational cannabis has been legal for a little over a month in Canada, and the sun is still shining, perhaps even brighter than ever. Although there are some concerns regarding legalization and its possible implications, overall, Canada and the world at large seem euphoric with the possibilities.
Concerns
Concerns naturally revolve around cannabis use spiraling out of control and threatening Canadians’ health and safety. Even more naturally, they stem from organizations like the Canadian Medical Association Journal, which deemed the government’s legalization plan an “uncontrolled experiment in which the profits of cannabis producers and tax revenues are squarely pitched against the health of Canadians.”
“If use of cannabis increases, the federal government should have the courage to admit the legislation is flawed and amend the act. Canadians – and the world – will be watching,” their statement concludes.
Founded or unfounded, their concerns highlight something which is completely unequivocal: the world is most certainly watching.
Role Model
Most people watching believe Canada – an epitome of class, composure, and good manners – is the perfect country to set the right tone for a worldwide, legal cannabis reality.
“It’s a special moment, not just for Canada, but for the world because my strong conviction is that the rest of the world will follow suit,” says Cam Battley, chief corporate officer at Aurora Cannabis, one of Canada’s largest cannabis companies. “We’re not known as wild and crazy. We’re known for good public policy and I think they will follow our lead.”
John Walsh of Washington Office on Latin America, a non-governmental social and economic justice advocacy group, certainly agrees:
“Because of Canada’s reputation for being fairly careful, for being a good global citizen, and because of the scale of their market, it’s a more likely example for other countries.”
Another aspect which experts point out is the environmental impact of Canada’s cannabis legalization. Canada has had the chance to observe how other regions like California have approached the increased energy demands and the respective extra strains on the environment which the burgeoning cannabis industry poses.Thus Canada, and the countries inspired by their brazen decision, should have an erected infrastructure, built from their observations of other places and their own medical cannabis endeavors, from which to evolve toward a greener cannabis future for everyone.
