Canada day 2017 marked one year till cannabis legalization in Canada. Shortly after the celebrations wrapped up, the Ontario government launched an outlet for the public to voice opinions on the upcoming legislation as the deadline approaches.

Here are the five reasons why you should participate in the survey or send feedback on the consultation paper:

1. Dispensaries – the distribution model of cannabis is one of the most anticipated parts of the upcoming Cannabis Act. This survey asks questions about whether the government or private retailers should be responsible for selling and distributing cannabis. It also asks opinions for public health and safety measures of cannabis sales, including aspects of retail purchasing such as delivery, availability, staff education, etc.

2. Road safety – another anticipated aspect of the Cannabis Act, the survey asks questions of what penalties should be for drug-impaired driving and how the government should invest in for police to identify intoxicated drivers. These questions hold weight since research about the effects of cannabis on driving is still not conclusive, therefore legalization will more likely be based on public opinion.

3. Use and education – while there are now regulated smoking spots for tobacco smokers, the survey inquires on where the public would like to see cannabis smoking restricted. These questions mostly focus on whether landlords or boards can ban the use of cannabis in their buildings. The survey also asks questions about who should be involved in public education and cannabis other than federal and Ontario governments.

4. Research – while cannabis legalization has been done in several states in the US, there is no one model that dominates; research regarding cannabis regulation is lacking. Therefore, this public inquiry in Ontario can be set an example for other states and countries to follow. While there are models that the government can look at to reference, every society is a little different and the public inquiry is a good place to start in tailoring cannabis legalization.

5. It is a democratic right – with this inquiry it would be hard for the government to turn away from what the majority of the public wants. Don’t underestimate the power of the people in this government. As the issue affects everyone in society, we encourage you to take the survey and express your opinions.

The public inquiry will only last until July 31st, so go to ontario.ca/cannabis to participate today! Other topics covered in the survey are minimum age of use and education on cannabis.

Source + Fill Our Survey Here
https://www.ontario.ca/page/consultation-cannabis-legalization-ontario

We support:

Allowing retail signs, advertising, display and promotion

Normal Packaging (Not plain packaging)

Allowing dispensary model for small businesses

Public education

Safe driving

Keeping the reach out of children