Canada’s upper house of parliament has voted in favour of a revised bill that will see that country become the first Group of Seven nations to legalise recreational marijuana use.
The Senate voted 52-29 in favour of the bill, “paving the way for a fully legal cannabis market within eight to 12 weeks”, Reuters says.
“It’s been too easy for our kids to get marijuana - and for criminals to reap the profits. Today, we change that. Our plan to legalise & regulate marijuana just passed the Senate,” Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau said, following the vote.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Independent senator Tony Dean said the passing of the bill “ends 90 years of prohibition of cannabis in this country, 90 years of needless criminalisation, 90 years of a just-say-no approach to drugs that hasn’t worked”.
The Toronto Star says the government is taking a “very cautious, prudent approach” in an effort to ensure that the drug stays out of the hands of young people, and to undermine the “thriving black market in cannabis controlled by organised crime”.
-
Gopichand Hinduja and the UK's richest familyIn The Spotlight Following the death of the patriarch, the family’s ‘Succession-like’ feuds are ‘likely to get worse’
-
The future of the Paris AgreementThe Explainer UN secretary general warns it is ‘inevitable’ the world will overshoot 1.5C target, but there is still time to change course
-
A scenic road trip in the French RivieraThe Week Recommends The mild climate of the Côte d’Azur makes it ideal for shoulder season
-
Nigeria confused by Trump invasion threatSpeed Read Trump has claimed the country is persecuting Christians
-
Sanae Takaichi: Japan’s Iron Lady set to be the country’s first woman prime ministerIn the Spotlight Takaichi is a member of Japan’s conservative, nationalist Liberal Democratic Party
-
Russia is ‘helping China’ prepare for an invasion of TaiwanIn the Spotlight Russia is reportedly allowing China access to military training
-
Interpol arrests hundreds in Africa-wide sextortion crackdownIN THE SPOTLIGHT A series of stings disrupts major cybercrime operations as law enforcement estimates millions in losses from schemes designed to prey on lonely users
-
China is silently expanding its influence in American citiesUnder the Radar New York City and San Francisco, among others, have reportedly been targeted
-
How China uses 'dark fleets' to circumvent trade sanctionsThe Explainer The fleets are used to smuggle goods like oil and fish
-
One year after mass protests, why are Kenyans taking to the streets again?today's big question More than 60 protesters died during demonstrations in 2024
-
What happens if tensions between India and Pakistan boil over?TODAY'S BIG QUESTION As the two nuclear-armed neighbors rattle their sabers in the wake of a terrorist attack on the contested Kashmir region, experts worry that the worst might be yet to come
