Marijuana will be legal for all Canadians over the age of 18 by July 1, 2018, CBC News reports, marking Canada's 151st birthday in style.
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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberal Party will officially announce the plan on April 10.
The legislation is expected to easily pass through Parliament, as it holds support from major political parties both to the right, and left of Trudeau's Liberals. As well, a majority of Canadians support legalizing marijuana, according to a recent poll from
The plan follows the recommendations laid out by a federal task force — led by former Toronto police chief Bill Blair and f — and leaves it up to the provincial governments to implement the plan and control how marijuana is sold, reports CBC.
Though the federal government stipulates a minimum age of 18 to purchase marijuana in stores, provinces will be free to raise the age as they see fit. Canadians will also be able to grow up to four marijuana plants in their household.
Trudeau has faced criticism from rival political parties who've accused him of failing to deliver on his campaign promise to legalize marijuana federally by spring of 2017. The April 10 announcement, while not expressly fulfilling the prime minister's intended timeline, will at least assuage those concerns. Canadians go back to the polls in October of 2019.
The announcement provides some much-needed stability to Canada's marijuana industry after police raided dispensaries in Toronto and Vancouver this month, not to mention the discourse south of the border, where US attorney general Jeff Sessions has hinted at a crackdown of marijuana markets in legalized states.
The firm date to legalize marijuana "