Emerging Policy Options for Cannabinoids in Canada

• In Event: Oh, Canada: Embarking upon the Legalization of Cannabis

Abstract

The Canadian government has signaled that the regulation of recreational cannabinoid consumption is a key governmental priority. However, experts have indicated that a range of issues may impede the government’s implementation of a regulatory system.

This presentation will describe the potential future of cannabinoid policies in Canada, with a focus on the interaction between Canada's medical cannabis and emerging recreational cannabis systems, provincial-federal jurisdiction issues, and the types of metrics and methodological approaches needed to effectively evaluate the impact of cannabinoid regulation on community health and safety.

Specific case studies will be reviewed, including the quasi-illicit expansion of medical cannabis dispensaries in Vancouver and Toronto; the province of Ontario’s proposal for the provincial liquor control board to dispense cannabis; and perceived gaps in the current approach to measuring cannabinoid-related outcomes.

Author

• Daniel Werb, University of California, San Diego