An e-petition from earlier this year that outlined a path to the legalization of cannabis was presented in the House of Commons this week by Green MP Elizabeth May.
The petition called for the repeal of prohibition on cannabis possession and cultivation, revisions to the Criminal Code and other changes to allow for legalization.
The threshold for being recognized as a petition is 500 signatures. When this petition closed in June, it had garnered over 20,000 supporters.
“The petitioners have done a tremendous amount of work in setting out a range of actions for the legalization and normalization of cannabis, including, for those convicted of cannabis offences, on a case-by-case basis, giving pardons and repealing section 462.2 of the Criminal Code,” May said, Oct. 24. “I submit this petition. I can only cover some of the surface of its many recommendations.”
Petition organizer Sam Vekemans said, next, the government will table a response to the petition within 45 days and posted online.
“As e-18 was presented on October 24th, December 8th will be 45 days, so we should expect a response (I’m guessing probably from the Justice or Health Minister) by then,” Vekemans wrote in an email.