Canada Legalizes Marijuana: Canada becomes first industrialized nation to legalize the drug

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Canada recently became the first industrialized nation to legalize marijuana for recreational purposes. Lots of other countries are thinking of doing the same, but many, like Canada, have signed international drug treaties that forbid the sale of recreational marijuana. Karina Huber has more.

Come this October marijuana will be legal for recreational purposes all across Canada. Each of its 10 provinces and its three territories will decide for themselves how to roll out the new law - making decisions on the minimum age and whether the private sector or the government will be responsible for distribution.

JUSTIN TRUDEAU CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER "It is absolutely not our intention at this time to move forward on legalization of all drugs. We are very much focused on the control and legalization of marijuana because the current system is not working."

KARINA HUBER TORONTO " Canadians overwhelmingly support the decision to legalize cannabis for recreational purposes, but there's one snag. It violates the three international drug treaties it has signed."

Those United Nations conventions restrict signatory countries from selling drugs - including marijuana - for recreational purposes. The International Narcotics Control Board - or "INCB" that regulates compliance with the treaties - could impose minor sanctions against Canada. Lawyer Andrew Bernstein doubts it will.

ANDREW BERNSTEIN LAWYER "The only country that's ever been sanctioned under these treaties is Afghanistan with respect to its poppy trade. We're not really on the same scale here. We're not exporting heroin around the world. We're just legalizing cannabis for domestic use."

Uruguay legalized recreational marijuana and received no sanctions from the INCB. Legal scholars like Roojin Habibi says perhaps the biggest problem with non- compliance is it weakens the whole notion of international treaties.

ROOJIN HABIBI INTERNATIONAL LAW SCHOLAR "You are chipping away at a system that is already being jeopardized from other quarters, from other countries. And it certainly does not help promote the rule of law on the international scene."

Canada could withdraw from the treaties and then reapply with a marijuana exemption but there's no guarantee it would be readmitted. Bernstein says it's better for Canada to stay in the treaties even if not fully compliant.

ANDREW BERNSTEIN LAWYER "There's lots of things that Canada and Canadians are still very supportive of like prohibition of cocaine, opium-related drugs, things like that, and stopping international trafficking of those kinds of drugs."

How the international community reacts to Canada's new law will be closely watched. Many other countries are considering legalization of marijuana, too, but are leery of running afoul of their international commitments. Karina Huber, CGTN, Toronto.