British Columbians are getting their first look at how the provincial government plans to implement legalized marijuana, including a minimum age of 19 for possession and consumption.
On Tuesday, about two months after the province started taking input from the public, health officials, Indigenous groups and police, the government revealed its first decisions on how best to regulate the drug.
Those include the legal age for use, which matches B.C.'s minimum age for tobacco and alcohol, and how wholesale distribution will be handled across the province. It will be run by the government’s Liquor Distribution Branch, a model that's in line with what some other provinces have announced.
Officials said they received input from nearly 49,000 people, as well as submissions from 141 Indigenous governments and other stakeholders.
"Looking at the responses received, it's clear that British Columbians support the priorities of protecting young people, health and safety, keeping the criminal element out of cannabis and keeping roads safe," Solicitor General Mike Farnworth said in a news release.
Final decisions are still pending about retail sales, but officials said they expect pot to be available in a mix of public and private stores.
Several other issues remain unresolved, including whether people will be allowed to use pot in public, and how to best regulate growing plants at home.
The government also hasn't announced its approach to drug-impaired driving. The majority of people who offered feedback to the province said the federal government's proposed Criminal Code penalties for drugged driving are sufficient. About a third said B.C. should introduce additional measures.
The federal government's proposed penalties would range from a fine to a maximum of 10 years in jail, depending on the level of impairment and whether a driver is also under the influence of alcohol or other drugs.
More information on the results of the B.C. government's pot consultations is available online.
