The New Brunswick government says they want to be ready when Justin Trudeau announces the legalization of marijuana.
Thursday they announced they have created a working group to gather information on how to maximize economic benefits and minimize risk to public safety.
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“We just want to be ready when the federal government — if and when, more when — they decide to legalize it,” said Deputy Premier and Minister of Public Safety Stephen Horsman.
“We want to be at the forefront and make sure we’re ready for that announcement.”
Consultation has taken place with officials in the United States, where marijuana has already been legalized, such as Washington State and Colorado.
Horsman says those talks have helped the province learn much of what to expect when the law is changed at the federal level.
“I know that we have a positive possibility of growth here with the economic spin offs of taxation on the marijuana,” said Horsman, before shifting gears.
“But I also, as a former police officer, know there’s going to be issues of safety.”
Jackie Vienott owns Things gift shop in Fredericton and has sold marijuana products for many years.
Although that’s not exactly the terminology she’d use.
“You can say ‘smokeable herbal product,'” explains Vienott. “You can’t use terms that describe what it is.”
She says she never imagined the federal government would be this close to legalization, and she hopes some of the red tape surrounding her way of life will be removed.
“It’s about time, it’s a tax space that nobody is looking at,” Vienott said.
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Still, despite her enthusiasm she can’t help but feel like the government’s working group is missing out on educated opinions like hers.
“They need to get someone who’s a medical user or a recreational user for years who knows,” she said.
Horsman says he’s asked the federal government for a timeline but so far nothing has been announced.
When it does he says the province plans to ensure the added revenue goes towards important projects for New Brunswick.
“What they’ve done in Colorado is make sure that it goes back into education, goes back into health, infrastructure, building hospitals, schools, roads,” Horsman said.
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