As I predicted, Canada is likely to legalize marijuana this year

Another one of my marijuana predictions appears about to come true.

From the CBC:

The Liberal government will announce legislation next month that will legalize marijuana in Canada by July 1, 2018.

CBC News has learned that the legislation will be announced during the week of April 10 and will broadly follow the recommendation of a federally appointed task force that was chaired by former liberal Justice Minister Anne McLellan.

Back in 2014 in my book After Legalization: Understanding the future of marijuana policy, I wrote that this was likely to happen in 2017:

At the same time, several foreign countries will probably adopt legalization. The political situation in Canada regarding this issue is worth watching, because it could put some real pressure on the United States to finally act. In 2013, the leader of the Liberal party of Canada endorsed marijuana legalization, and there is a very good chance his party could win back control after the next federal election likely to take place at the end of 2015. If the Liberals are serious about moving forward with marijuana reform, a smart time to do it would be right after the United States’ 2016 election, when several American states on or near the Canadian border are likely to legalize marijuana.

Despite the fact that marijuana opponent Jeff Sessions has been named US Attorney General, marijuana policy reform continues to move forward. Additionally, marijuana legalization is more popular than ever. I have long suspected that as more Americans see marijuana legalized by neighboring states and Canadian provinces, support will only grow.