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B.C. introduces several cannabis bills to clarify future regulations

Federal legalization is set for this summer
bccannabisstores
The B.C. government on April 26 revealed the logo for its future BC Cannabis Stores

The B.C. government on April 26 introduced several pieces of legislation to regulate cannabis once the federal government makes that substance legal for adult recreational use later this year.

The three bills are:

•the Cannabis Distribution Act, which will establish the province's exclusive jurisdiction over wholesale distribution of cannabis, and provide authority for public retail sales;

•the Cannabis Control and Licensing Act, which establishes provincial control over the sale, supply and possession of non-medical cannabis, and establishes licensing of private cannabis retailers, including registration and training requirements for those who will work in cannabis retail; and

amendments to the Motor Vehicle Act, which will address drug-affected driving in B.C. 

A first phase of proposed amendments to the MVA will provide police with additional tools to remove drug-affected drivers from the road.

There will be, for example, a new 90-day driving prohibition for drug-affected driving.

The legislation largely follows proposed regulations that Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General Mike Farnworth revealed in February.

"You think you’ve identified everything," Farnworth told a late-morning news conference.

"I don’t want to get into the unknown knowns and known unknowns, but the reality is that that’s very much the case with a piece of legislation like this."

Farnworth said that B.C.'s regulations will have to be revised if the federal government legalizes edibles one year after its current Bill C-45 passes. That commitment to legalize edibles was added to C-45 during the bill's committee stage, and it is expected to be in the final form of the bill.

Bill C-45 is before the Senate and the Senate is set to vote on the bill by June 7. Royal assent will then be needed and Farnworth said that he expects that full legalization will be in effect eight to 12 weeks after that. 

All cannabis retailers in B.C. will buy cannabis from the British Columbia Liquor Distribution Branch, much like is currently the case with alcohol. 

Farnworth would not estimate how many government, or private, cannabis stores will open. Nor would he say how much the government stores will charge for a gram of cannabis. 

Discussions on what that price will be are currently being had between Farnworth’s ministry and the Ministry of Finance, he said, adding that he expects that the price will be set at a level similar to what would be on offer in the black market, because, otherwise, consumers will likely continue to patronize that black market.

He expects the first government cannabis stores to open by the end of summer and for there also to be an e-commerce option after that.

"Many people have said that this is a cash cow for government," Farnworth said. "I don't share that view – certainly not in the short term."

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