VANCOUVER — Experts say stoner subculture will likely take a hit with the incoming legalization of marijuana in Canada because as the cause vanishes, so will celebration of the drug.
The federal government announced today that legislation to legalize and regulate marijuana will be introduced next spring as several thousand people were expected on a Vancouver beach for the annual April 20 'Weed Day' protest, also known as 4-20.
Scientist Benedikt Fischer with the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health says when people no longer need to protest cannabis criminalization he expects the social movement will fizzle.
Lynne Belle-Isle, co-founder of the Canadian Drug Policy Coalition, agrees that the appeal to rebel will disappear and society will develop social norms around using the drug more safely.
She says that like a teenager who learns responsible drinking by watching parents drink a glass of wine, exposure to pot will help instill values around appropriate use.
Health Minister Jane Philpott told a special United Nations session on drugs that the Liberal government is convinced marijuana legalization is the best way to protect youth and enhance public safety.
