Release Date
Geography
Language of Resource
Full Text Available
Open Access / OK to Reproduce
Peer Reviewed
Objective
In October 2018, Canada was the first G-20 nation to implement the legalization of nonmedical cannabis use and supply for adults.1 Cannabis legalization in Canada had the primary objectives of improving cannabis-related public health and safety; reducing youth access to cannabis; and reducing cannabis-related crime and illegal markets, mainly by allowing adult cannabis use and related behaviours as a legal, regulated activity. We discuss whether, 5 years on, these objectives have been met, drawing on systematic reviews and recent primary studies for our observations.
Findings/Key points
Canada’s legalization of nonmedical cannabis has been a contested policy reform that has been watched closely from within and beyond its borders. A consideration of the evidence 5 years after implementation suggests that success in meeting policy objectives has been mixed, with social justice benefits appearing to be more tangibly substantive than health benefits
