Cannabis: Report of the Senate Special Committee on Illegal Drugs

Should the use of cannabis be decriminalized or legalized? If so, how should it be regulated, and for whom? Although Western nations have sought to address these questions for decades, there has never been a thorough and comprehensive study of the subject. A special committee of the Canadian Senate sought to rectify this, and when their report was made public, it surprised observers with its bold recommendations.

The committee drew on extensive research, including reports from 23 internationally renowned scientists and testimony from more than 200 witnesses, from experts to ordinary citizens, as well as feedback from a large number of discussion groups. The essential recommendations of the Senate committee report are found in this book. It presents new perspectives on the topic of illicit drugs, calling for realistic new public policies and laws that do not marginialize users. Thoughtful and informative, this report is an indispensible resource in the national and international debate surrounding the legalization of cannabis.

Pierre Claude Nolin is Presidents of the Senate Special Committee on Illegal Drugs.