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MONTREAL — Forced into the pot business by the federal government, Quebec on Thursday tabled strict marijuana legislation, striving to give itself full control over the industry, push out the private sector and create a zero-tolerance policy for driving under the influence of all drugs.

“This is an important change to our society,” Public Health Minister Lucie Charlebois said after tabling Bill 157. “The experts recommended we be prudent to start and then to see if we need to adjust. They asked us to be rigorous and to see how citizens evolve.”

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On Thursday, Alberta also released its pot plans, which include setting no limits on the number of private stores that can sell cannabis once retail sales are legalized next July. The NDP government said it would look to private retailers to sell marijuana from brick-and-mortar storefronts, instead of government-run outlets.

Quebec has been reticent to go along with the federal government’s marijuana plan, citing concerns from citizens that legalizing pot would encourage young people to pick up the habit and would foment social problems.