Russia rips Canada’s ‘high-handedness’ in legalizing recreational marijuana

Russia is not happy with Canada for legalizing recreational marijuana.

Moscow issued a stern warning to Ottawa over the impending cannabis legalization on Oct. 17, saying Canada “deliberately decided to breach” international law.

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“We expect Canada’s partners in the G7 to respond to its ‘high-handedness’ because this alliance has repeatedly declared its adherence to the domination of international law in relations between states,” Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

Canada has signed treaties that were designed to help combat the drug trade and to limit the production and sale of recreational drugs and to limit use and possession to medical and scientific purposes.

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“It is important that the UN General Assembly Special Session on the World Problem of Drugs, which took place on April 21, 2016, made it clear in its final document, for which the Canadian delegation also voted, that the three anti-drug Conventions are ‘the cornerstone of the international drug control system,’” Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. “Russia strictly abides by these principles and intends to consistently introduce them in practice within the boundaries of the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs and other relevant international venues.”

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Earlier this month, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Oct. 17 as the date of legalization after the government had pushed back the end of prohibition several times.

“Parliament has now passed Bill C-45, which will legalize and regulate access to cannabis. We will soon have a new system in place, one that keeps cannabis out of the hands of our kids and keeps profits out of the hands of organized crime,” Trudeau said.

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The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) also condemned Canada’s pot legalization.

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“UNODC regrets the Canadian legislature’s decision to legalize cannabis for non-medical use,” the agency said in a statement. “As noted by the International Narcotics Control Board in its statement of 21 June, this decision contravenes the provisions of the drug control conventions, and undermines the international legal drug control framework and respect for the rules-based international order.”

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Canada is the second nation to legalize recreational marijuana after Uruguay.