On October 17, Canada will complete one year of its legalization of Cannabis. The ban on the commercial sale of Cannabis was received with much enthusiasm. It has waned slightly as the government comes to grip with structures to restrict its illegal sale. Reforms in the police force to stop cannabis consumers from driving in the streets in a drugged state have also not been fully implemented.
The major stumbling block has been the delay in getting a license for opening a cannabis shop. It leads to shopkeepers indulging in the illegal sale of drugs, which also fetches a higher price. Users accustomed to buying drugs illegally also grudge, paying a higher price for cannabis. They disregard the fact that the cannabis available in stores comes from certified companies, and the product is guaranteed for safety and quality. The federal and state agencies are still grappling with putting in place laws that will prevent unscrupulous elements from getting hold of a cannabis license.
Efficient policing to stop the illegal sale of cannabis is still lacking. Oral-fluid devices similar to alcohol breath analyzers were to be provided to all policemen to monitor cannabis levels in users. These have not been provided in sufficient numbers. The result is that hardly any people have been caught for driving under the influence of cannabis. Moreover, for proving high levels of cannabis in a user, his blood test is also required along with the oral fluid test. These blood test results are taking more than six months at present.
The Canadian government recognized that its people would be better for smoking cannabis bought from a shop than bought illegally from street-side dealers. Due to the intoxicating and addictive nature of cannabis, the government has to necessarily tread carefully in deciding who should be trusted for distributing it among the masses. Additionally, activists and groups demanding the legalization of cannabis have been putting up videos as well as literature on how to smoke cannabis safely.