Canadian Police Want to Postpone Cannabis Legalization

Last Updated on Oct 26, 2017

Canadian police have concerns about the decision to legalize marijuana and they would like to postpone cannabis legalization. Canada’s House of Commons has been getting an earful recently from members of  the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, the Ontario Provincial Police, and the Saskatoon Police Service. Members of these law enforcement organizations say that Canada’s recently approved bill to legalize marijuana nationwide has dismayed police officers who feel they will not be ready to enforce the laws by the time legalization occurs, which is slated for July 1, 2018.

Canada’s law enforcement agencies have protested they would need far more time to train their police forces on proper enforcement of the nation’s new cannabis laws, and that they will need to certify nearly twice the number of current officers to enforce those new laws. Law enforcement agencies noted that public education is minimal on the new laws. They claim that the new regulations need to be shared with and understood by Canada’s public prior to regulations and enforcement taking effect throughout the nation.

Police officials noted that public education is critical to ensure people are following the laws as they are written. Some officers also expressed doubts concerning the efficacy of home cultivation and suggested that such operations could make it more likely for underage users to obtain cannabis illegally. Another concern of Canadian police surrounding the impending cannabis legalization is impaired driving. Law enforcement officials stated that more officers would be needed to conduct roadside sobriety tests.

Leadership in the Canadian Parliament expressed their understanding of the police officers’ concerns and some even shared their concerns. However, Bill Blair, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice, expressed his concern over postponing cannabis legalization. Blair stated, “We can’t allow the status quo [for illegal cannabis] to remain because it’s unacceptable…the entire cannabis market is controlled by criminal enterprise.”

Premiers from several Canadian provinces have also stated they are not ready to release new cannabis legalization rules to their constituents. Only one state has released the rules and regulations on how citizens may use cannabis and where and how it may be purchased. The premiers brought their cases before the Canadian House of Commons Health Committee, the organization responsible for enacting Bill C-45.  Some of the more conservative members of Parliament argued for decriminalization of marijuana as opposed to legalization.

The first country to legalize cannabis nationwide was Uruguay which passed their new law in 2013. While Uruguay has met with their own challenges along the way, it is hoped that Canada’s marijuana legalization laws will retain better control over the nation’s cannabis distribution and cultivation. While the request for the delay of cannabis legalization in Canada has not yet been acted upon, the July 1, 2018, date to enact the law has already been accepted by British Columbia and Quebec, and the political gears already turning would have to grind to a halt in order to comply with law enforcement requests.

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