Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has delayed the legislation of recreational cannabis until October 17th.
The move was done so that the provinces in the country have more time to prepare for a smooth transition.
Speaking at a news conference on Wednesday, he said the provinces had requested more time to prepare.
Mr. Trudeau remarked, “This is something that we want to get right. It is our expectation that – even though we recognize legalization of marijuana is a process, not a single-day event – by giving the provinces more time to ensure that they are fully ready for the day of coming into force of this legislation, it will be a smooth success in all the ways that we can hope for.”
According to the Prime Minister, it would be “illogical” to launch any process to pardon those with criminal records for possession of cannabis while the act remains a criminal offense.
“There is no point looking at pardons while the old law is on the books. Once the law comes into force, we will start looking at the issue of pardons and criminal records.”
