Canada: House of Commons passes Marijuana bill, moves to Senate
Ottawa, Nov 28 (IBNS): The House of Commons in Canada has cleared the marijuana bill, brought by the federal government, as the country is heading towards the legalisation of weed consumption by next year, media reports said.
The C-45 bill will next be going to the Senate.
The passage of the bill in the House enables the federal government to move an inch closer towards their aim to legalise marijuana from next summer.
The bill has been passed in the House by a voting margin of 183-99.
Now the biggest challenge for the federal government is to ensure an easy passage of the bill in the Senate where the Conservatives would likely to oppose the legalisation of marijuana.
Some of the provinces even stated they are not yet ready to legalise marijuana.
The Conservatives are however favouring the legalisation but a year after the current deadline of July 2018.
On the other hand, the New Democratic Party (NDP) supported the Liberal government's move to legalise marijuana.
Apart from legalising, the federal government has also decided to make an age of majority to use recreational marijuana and also to decide on the retail network of stores where the marijuana could be sold.
However, youth in possession of cannabis will not be criminalised from henceforth.
But any car driver or passenger will not be allowed to consume cannabis.
On the other hand, IBNS has received a mixed reaction towards the legalisation of the cannabis in Canada.
Police chiefs across the country are divided over the legalisation of the cannabis.
Some advocacy groups are even debating over the matter.
IBNS learnt that some of the advocacy groups even opine that the legalisation, perhaps, is too early for the country.
(Reporting by Suman Das)
Image: Creative Commons
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