Pubdate: Mon, 28 Mar 2016
Source: Ottawa Sun (CN ON)
Copyright: 2016 Canoe Limited Partnership
Contact: http://www.ottawasun.com/letter-to-editor
Website: http://www.ottawasun.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/329
Author: Paula McCooey
Page: 3

FEDS' POT PLAN UNCHANGED SAYS PROF

The fact marijuana law reform was absent from the 2016 federal budget 
does not diminish Liberals' stance on legalization, a top drug policy 
expert says.

Eugene Oscapella, a University of Ottawa criminal justice professor 
and lawyer who specializes in social policy development, says, in 
fact, that the omission of funding to regulate marijuana is actually 
a good thing given the government should be focused on a health-based 
approach, rather than viewing it as a major source of tax revenue.

"First you have to design the regulatory framework," says Oscapella. 
"The provinces are going to have to get involved in this, and there 
are costs and benefits to each side."

Former Toronto police chief Bill Blair, who is parliamentary press 
secretary to the Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould, is charged 
with the job of creating a task force to study other jurisdictions 
where recreational marijuana use is legal. Because Blair has yet to 
announce who is on that panel, Oscapella estimates regulation to 
legalize it is at least 18 months away.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom