Before Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau can follow through on his promise to end cannabis prohibition in Canada, the nation first needs to figure out how it can do so without violating several global treaties regarding the production and possession of marijuana.
There are three international conventions that Canada’s Liberal Party will need to work around, CBC reports:
- The Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961, as amended by the 1972 Protocol
- The Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971
- The United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of 1988
Errol Mendes of the University of Ottawa believes it’s going to be a difficult process, and it could become even more challenging based on the results of this November’s U.S. presidential election: if the Republicans win the White House, it’s very likely that U.S. opposition would provide a sea of complications.
A memo released by the Liberal Party explained: “As part of examining legalization of cannabis possession and production, Canada will need to explore how to inform the international community and will have to take the steps needed to adjust its obligations under these conventions.”
Mendes, an expert on constitutional and international law, said, “It will be an ongoing dialogue which has to be dealt with at the highest levels, and it’s not going to be an easy one, and it’s not going to be a quick one either. It’s going to take many years.”