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This article was published 28/12/2015 (1732 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Editorial

Marijuana users seem to be getting restless for the new legal regime promised by the Liberal party during the federal election.

In Winnipeg, a clandestine pot-delivery service has already popped up, while other would-be dispensers are turning blue waiting for the law to change. The same restless urge to strike down the old prohibitions has been noticeable across Canada.

There wasn't a whiff of news about when the air might clear, however, until Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visited Vancouver recently, the most pot-friendly city in Canada.

Mr. Trudeau confirmed he is still committed to legalization, but it won't come soon, so don't light that joint in public just yet.

The good news for marijuana users is the government isn't looking at a cash grab. It wants to keep the price of pot at a reasonable level to discourage underground sales, as happened with cigarettes in some parts of Canada.

The prime minister also said while the government might take "a bit of revenue," he wanted most of the money used for addictions treatment, mental-health support and education programs.

We'll have to wait to find out what "a bit of revenue" looks like, particularly since it is unclear how much tax might be applied by the provinces and municipalities.

Mr. Trudeau said he wants to conduct broad consultations with the other levels of government and experts in public health to design a proper sales and distribution system.

It's more complicated than it sounds. Some provinces, including Manitoba, want to sell marijuana in their liquor outlets, but should private vendors be allowed into the game, too?

There are also questions about who will grow the product and whether individuals can grow their own. If you can make your own beer and wine, why not marijuana, too?

And as a recent case in Winnipeg showed, police will need new tools and training to detect people who are driving under the influence of pot.

A man charged with driving while impaired from the drug was acquitted after the judge ruled the officer's opinion, based on a roadside sobriety test, was not valid.

Mr. Trudeau has promised to get tough with people who smoke and drive, but there will need to be better scientific testing than is accepted by the courts now.

People who provide pot to minors will also be in for a rough ride, but why should the penalty be any greater than that faced by adults who buy alcohol for teens?

The old regime left millions of Canadians with criminal records, but the government hasn't said if it will grant amnesty, which some advocacy groups are demanding.

The government will also have to consider if there is any need for a medical-marijuana program, since people will be able to buy what they need off the counter.

The various strengths of marijuana to be sold will also have to be discussed. Too weak, and the public won't buy it. Too strong, and some people might take an unhappy trip.

In other words, with all the issues to be worked out, it could be many years before weed is legalized.

Police and the courts will have to consider whether to prosecute anyone in the interim, except those involved in organized crime who are making millions of dollars off the illegal trade of the drug.

Legalization is the right course, but the federal government may want to limit its role to broad oversight, leaving the details to the provinces, which are better positioned to appreciate local conditions and sensibilities.

The government should light a fire under the consultation process, however, because a lot of Canadians seem as if they aren't prepared to wait forever.