An Effective Retail and Distribution Model for Recreational Cannabis

Abstract

The Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy (JSGS) has issued an in-depth policy paper on the legalization of cannabis in Canada. By July 2018, the production, distribution, and sale of cannabis will be legal across the country. The Government of Canada's decision to legalize and regulate was driven by three core objectives: 1. Dismantle the illicit market. 2. Restrict youth access. 3. Minimize harm. In very short order, provincial governments have to develop policy regimes and in some instances without the necessary evidence typically required to ensure effectiveness. One of the biggest problems is that a fully legalized cannabis sector is so new that we lack any system of best practices and must instead rely on piecing together evidence from across a number of poicy lenses, including public health, public safety, economics, and innovation. While some provinces and professional associations have understandably requested more time to prepare for the Act coming into force, the Federal Government has had little appetite for putting off legalizaiton. The underlying logic is that any delay would mean another year of doing nothing to keep cannabis out of the hands of youth and to keep profits out of the illicit market. Faced with the scope of the policy issues and the time pressure to put an effective regulatory system in place, the JSGS has released a report examining the policy challenges.