Article content

It would be “naïve” to think that marijuana legalization will shut down the black market for the drug, an RCMP official stated during the first day of the House of Commons health committee’s study of the federal cannabis bill.

There are a number of issues that will need to be addressed to fight organized crime, including the possibility that the black market could undercut legal marijuana sales, Joanne Crampton, RCMP assistant commissioner of federal policing criminal operations, told the committee Monday morning.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Legalizing marijuana won't shut down black market: RCMP official Back to video

As for the odds of eliminating the black market through legalization — it would be “naïve to think that that could happen,” she said in answer to a question from Liberal MP John Oliver.

The Trudeau government tabled its bill to legalize marijuana in April, promising that pot will be legal by July 2018. The legislation is being scrutinized before the House of Commons resumes on Sept. 18.