People who wanted pot would find a way to get it, no matter how illegal it might be. Police time was wasted chasing kids with a few grams of marijuana, and branding young people as criminals for a bit of pot was a crime in itself. Criminalization just paved the way for organized crime to peddle the stuff to kids, with no controls and huge profits. RelatedSo Justin Trudeau confessed that, sure, he’d smoked pot, and if we made him prime minister, he’d legalize it for everyone. The Liberals plan stringent penalties for sales to minors: up to 14 years in jail for selling pot to anyone under 18.

Source: National Post April 18, 2017 15:56 UTC