Canada Defends Cannabis Legalization at United Nations

Article by David Yasvinski, Growth Op

Canada responded to international criticism of cannabis legalization on Monday with some stirring remarks on the greener pastures the move has helped deliver.

In comments made to the United Nations Commission on narcotics drugs, Michelle Boudreau, the director general for Health Canada’s controlled substances department, said legalization has taken a huge bite out of crime in the country, Marijuana Moment reports.

“The illegal market has already lost 30 per cent of its market share and we have seen no corresponding increase in the overall size of the market,” Boudreau said. “This represents nearly $2-billion in sales that did not go to criminal organizations.”

When Canada became the largest nation in the world to end the prohibition of pot in 2018, it put itself in opposition to international drug treaties that still ban the drug and prompted nervous hand-wringing by health officials worldwide. Those fears are overblown, according to Boudreau. “Initial data suggests that rates of cannabis use have not changed among youth and young adults (and) we have seen no increase in the illegal movement of cannabis across international borders.

“We will continue to collect data and evaluate the impact of Canada’s new regulatory framework and will ensure that any future decisions are well informed by this data.”

The speech comes in the wake of written remarks in a UN International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) report that questioned the wisdom of legalization, saying it “remains concerned at the legislative developments permitting the use of cannabis for ‘recreational’ uses.

“Not only are these developments in contravention of the drug control conventions and the commitments made by states parties (but) the consequences for health and well-being, in particular of young people, are of serious concern.”

But the winds of change may slowly be reaching the UN, which seems to recognize the international prohibition on pot that has been in place since 1961 might need a refresh. “We have some fundamental issues around the conventions that state parties will need to start looking at,” said Cornelis de Joncheere, president of the INCB, according to Marijuana Business Daily. “We have to recognize that the conventions were drawn up 50 and 60 years ago.”

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