Statement from the Government of Canada on the Receipt of the Report from the Task Force on Cannabis Legalization and Regulation

OTTAWA, Dec. 13, 2016 /CNW/ - The Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, the Minister of Health, and the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada today announced that they have received the report from the Task Force on Cannabis Legalization and Regulation. They released the following statement:

"We are pleased to receive the report from the Task Force on Cannabis Legalization and Regulation. We would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank the Honourable Anne McLellan and Dr. Mark Ware for their passionate and thoughtful leadership on this complex issue. We also wish to thank all of the members of the Task Force for generously dedicating their time and energy, and for all of their hard work over the last five months. We echo the Task Force's appreciation for the interest and enthusiasm shown by Canadians in this process. There will be several opportunities to consult Canadians as the government proceeds to legalize, and strictly regulate, cannabis.

We look forward to continuing to work closely and collaboratively with the provinces and territories and with our partners and stakeholders.

We appointed the Task Force in June to provide its best advice on how to legalize and strictly regulate cannabis to keep it out of the hands of youth and profits out of the hands of criminals. The delivery of the Task Force report is an important step in helping the Government fulfil its commitment to legalize, strictly regulate and restrict access to cannabis. We will be carefully considering the Task Force's advice as we develop legislation to be introduced in Parliament in the spring of 2017. The new legislation would come into force after being passed by Parliament and once regulations have been developed.

Until the new legislation comes into force, the current cannabis laws remain in effect. For information on current laws, please consult the Ministers' joint statement from June 30, 2016."

The Honourable Ralph Goodale, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
The Honourable Jody Wilson-Raybould, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
The Honourable Dr. Jane Philpott, Minister of Health
Bill Blair, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada.

The Task Force received nearly 30 000 responses to their online questionnaire, and organizations sent nearly 300 submissions. The Task Force met with representatives of provincial, territorial and municipal governments and experts from a wide spectrum of disciplines including researchers and academics; patients and their advocates; cannabis consumers; chiefs of police and fire departments; as well as numerous industry, professional, health and other associations. Indigenous experts, representative organizations, governments and elders were invited to participate in a variety of Task Force engagement activities, including the expert roundtables, bilateral meetings and an Indigenous people's roundtable.

Quick Links:
Final Report from the Task Force on Cannabis Legalization and Regulation  
Statement from the Task Force on Cannabis Legalization and Regulation  
Terms of Reference for the Task Force on Cannabis Legalization and Regulation  
Statement from the Ministers of Justice, Health and Public Safety on the Current Marijuana Laws  

SOURCE Health Canada

Media Relations, Health Canada, [phone]; Media Relations, Department of Justice, 613-957-4207; Media Relations, Public Safety Canada, [phone]