Military reassures allies on pot

The Canadian Armed Forces is seeking to reassure allies about the military’s new policy on recreational marijuana, which a senior commander says has so far elicited significant curiosity.

Lt.-Gen. Charles Lamarre, the military’s chief of personnel, says allies have been closely following the military’s year-long work to develop its policy on marijuana use, which was officially released last week.

The policy limits all consumption to within Canada and puts time restrictions on when service members can use marijuana.

The key question for many is whether marijuana, which becomes legal in Canada on Oct. 17, will impact the military’s ability to do its job.

Lamarre says he explained the policy this week to counterparts from the U.S., Britain, Australia and New Zealand, one of whom questioned why the Canadian military didn’t simply ban all marijuana use by service members.

The Armed Forces is required to follow Canadian laws and sought to balance that imperative with the need to protect the safety and security of people, equipment and operations by putting in certain restrictions, Lamarre says.

He believes the new policy will ensure the military’s operations are not affected and adds that Canada’s closest allies appear satisfied with the new policy.