Four years after becoming the first big economy to legalise cannabis for recreational purposes, Canada is launching a review of its cannabis regulations, reports AFP.

The review will see an expert panel research the impact legalisation has had on people especially youths and Indigenous groups. The panel which will be led by Morris Rosenberg, a former deputy minister of justice, will also take a closer look on how the legalising cannabis has affected the economy and illicit market. Furthermore, the panel will look into regulatory burdens the industry is facing and determine whether a separate framework is needed for medical marijuana which has been legal in Canada since 2001, reports AFP.
The compulsory review has been delayed by a year because of the COVID-19 pandemic and will take around 18 months to complete. The industry is eagerly awaiting the results as it says it has had a hard time competing with the black market due to high taxes on cannabis and restrictions on advertising and marketing.
Health Minister Jean- Yves Duclos said the review would help the government to strengthen the cannabis act while displacing the illicit market.
According to government data, 9.5 million Canadians or 25 per cent of the population used cannabis in 2021, down slightly from the previous year, reports AFP.