TORONTO, October 16 2018 – As Canada takes this historic step, many people have lingering questions about the impact legal marijuana will have on our society. There is no doubt that the availability of pot in the open market is the subject of differing opinions, and York has the experts to discuss Ontario’s approach, the critical issues around public health, law enforcement, social justice and cannabis amnesty.

Alan Young is an associate professor, emeritus of law at Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto. He is an expert in criminal law and procedure, police administration and cannabis laws.

Steven J. Hoffman is a professor in the School of Health Policy and Management and global public health expert and international lawyer who has expertise on the UN drug control treaties and Canada's cannabis legalization plans.

York University champions new ways of thinking that drive teaching and research excellence. Our students receive the education they need to create big ideas that make an impact on the world. Meaningful and sometimes unexpected careers result from cross-disciplinary programming, innovative course design and diverse experiential learning opportunities. York students and graduates push limits, achieve goals and find solutions to the world’s most pressing social challenges, empowered by a strong community that opens minds. York is an internationally recognized research university – our 11 faculties and 25 research centres have partnerships with 200+ leading universities worldwide. Located in Toronto, York is the third largest university in Canada, with a strong community of 53,000 students, 7,000 faculty and administrative staff, and more than 300,000 alumni.

York's fully bilingual Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education.

Media Contact:

Yanni Dagonas - York University Media Relations, 647-4687850, yannidag@yorku.ca