The legalization debate

The campaign trail saw Justin Trudeau promise to legalize and regulate marijuana.

Now, with a Liberal majority, those in the medicinal pot industry are hoping Trudeau will turn his promise into a reality.

In Vernon, Selen Wong heads the online compassion club The Flower of Life. She's excited to see what happens and what that will mean for her clients.

“For us, we are going to be able to provide access to legitimate medical cannabis users in a way that is even more safe and regulated than what is currently being provided,” says Wong.

However, for the clients of a downtown Vernon medical marijuana dispensary, there are a number of concerns they would like answered.

Jeff Gaudette is part-owner of MMJ Total Health, and he says he’s been hearing mixed reactions to the possibility of legalization.

“We have patients that if it does go recreational, then they are going to lose their medical benefits for it, which they can’t afford to pay for all of their medication, unfortunately.”

If marijuana is legalized, Gaudette would like to see a model similar to that of Colorado’s, with both a recreational and a medical component.

“Where the medical is much less taxed and made affordable for people who are unable to work, and also have a recreational side so we can build some tax dollars and some tourism.”

In Colorado, those over 21 are allowed to possess up to 28 grams of marijuana for personal use.

Wong hopes the possibility of legalizing the drug will open discussion on the uses and benefits of cannabis.

“Cannabis is not something that is evil, it is not a drug, it is not something that is hurting people,” she says. “Now, we are looking at all of the research which has been compounded over 40-plus years in other countries that is suggesting that, and showing and proving that cannabis is one of the safest medicines that you can access.”

It remains unclear when legalization might take place under a Liberal government.

Trudeau says marijuana would need to be taxed, and the tax rate and controls on its use put in place.

Recently, B.C. Senator Larry Campbell told CBC News that Trudeau should give it a year to 18 months before legalizing pot, to make sure it's done right.  

Campbell, a former mayor of Vancouver, said there needs to be communication across all three levels of government for the proper roll-out of pot legalization. He also believes Colorado is the model Canada should look to.