A pot revolution comes to Canada

In case you missed it, the federal government has just sown the seeds for a full-blown social revolution in Canada.

Last Thursday, just before the Easter long weekend started, the Liberals tabled legislation that will legalize and regulate the production, sale and use of recreational marijuana in this country starting in the summer of 2018.

Then, in the blink of an eye and with the flick of a lighter, adults will begin legally indulging in a previously forbidden — and outlawed — pleasure, while an entirely new and legitimate marijuana industry worth billions of dollars a year will be satisfying those cravings.

All this represents a massive change — Canada will be the first Group-of-Seven country to follow this complicated route. But the Liberals are right to do it now and their legislation provides a promising start — even though the heavy lifting is yet to come.

Ninety-four years of prohibition in this country caused more harm than it prevented.

In that time, more and more Canadians chose to use a drug that causes less physical and psychological damage than alcohol, yet many found themselves caught up in the courts or even jailed.

Meanwhile, although public opinion became more accepting of marijuana use, organized crime continued reaping the profits from the attendant black market and police squandered precious resources trying to enforce what was unenforceable.

Give the Justin Trudeau Liberals credit for their boldness and for not simply handing adults the freedom to grow, sell and use recreational marijuana but legal responsibilities if they do.

That’s how Canada handles alcohol and tobacco. It’s the best strategy for marijuana, too.

Under the proposed legislation, Canadians who are at least 18 years old — provinces can set the age higher — would be permitted to carry and share up to 30 grams of dried marijuana and grow up to four plants at home for their own use.

The federal government, through Health Canada, would license legal producers and control the quality of their product. Provincial governments would regulate the outlets that legally distribute cannabis.

And, in the interests of public health and safety, tough new laws would deter or punish drugged driving as well as those who want to provide pot to minors.

So far, so good. But the clock is ticking and vital details must be worked out.

Health Canada will have to work overtime to ensure there are enough legal producers to meet consumer demand or else criminals will fill the void.

The right prices and levels of taxation must be set. If they’re too low, people might be tempted to overindulge. If they’re too high, criminals will provide cheaper alternatives.

The provinces must determine whether private businesses or government outlets will handle distribution.

Most challenging of all will be the goal of discouraging Canadians under 18 — who already have some of the world’s highest youth rates of cannabis use — from availing themselves of a seductively legal, adult pastime.

In introducing their marijuana legislation, the Liberals are keeping a major election promise. But the unspoken and most important part of that pledge is doing the job right.

(This editorial was published in the Waterloo Region Record April 13 and circulated by the Canadian Press.)

The right prices and levels of taxation must be set. If they’re too low, people might be tempted to overindulge. If they’re too high, criminals will provide cheaper alternatives.