Prime Minister Justin Trudeau claims that legalizing marijuana will shut down the black market and remove the criminal element. There’s only one problem — the police disagree, the experts disagree and the experience disagrees.
RCMP: Legalizing marijuana won’t shut down black market
“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.
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.”
EXPERT: We’re “deluding ourselves” if we think that legalizing marijuana will remove the criminal component
Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government thinks that legalizing marijuana will make the black market go away. In Dr. Kevin Sabet’s testimony before the House of Commons Health Committee, he said that such thinking is delusional.
EXPERIENCE: The black market continues to play a significant role in states which have legalized marijuana
The black market has not gone away in Colorado, Washington or Oregon state, which have all legalized the recreational use of marijuana.
