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After decades of prohibition, Canadians are finally discussing whether cannabis should be sold legally to responsible adults, and if the benefits of taxing, regulating and restricting marijuana would make for better policy than the status quo.

Canadians have made it clear that they support giving people access to medical marijuana and removing the criminal penalties for adults who choose to consume the substance in a responsible manner. According to a recent Leger poll, not only do 86 per cent of Canadians support regulated access to medical cannabis with physician support, 76 per cent believe that health insurance companies should cover the cost. Similarly, another poll found that two-thirds of Canadians favour changing our laws so that people are not given criminal records for minor, non-violent offences.

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Increasing public support for both access and research into the therapeutic benefits of medical cannabis, along with the election of prime minister designate Justin Trudeau, who has promised to legalize marijuana, sets the stage for a rethink of our country’s approach to cannabis. The new government should take this on as one of its top priorities.