TORONTO -- Marijuana will be legal nationwide in Canada starting Oct. 17 in a move that should take market share away from organized crime and protect the country's youth, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Wednesday. The Senate gave final passage to the bill to legalize cannabis Tuesday, legislation that will make Canada only the second country in the world to make marijuana legal across the country.
Trudeau said provincial and territorial governments need the time to prepare for retail sales.
"It is our hope as of October 17 there will be a smooth operation of retail cannabis outlets operated by the provinces with an online mail delivery system operated by the provinces that will ensure that this happens in an orderly fashion," Trudeau said.
The prime minister said at a news conference that the goal is to take a significant part of the market share away from organized crime.
"Over the following months and indeed years we will completely replace or almost completely replace the organized crime market on that," he said.
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