Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale says there's no reason why legalizing marijuana in Canada should create headaches for Canadians when they try to cross the border into the United States.
Goodale notes that it will remain illegal for Canadians to take cannabis across the border into the U.S., just as it will remain illegal for Americans to bring cannabis into Canada.
And since that doesn't change, he says there's no need for American border officials to tighten screening for Canadians coming into their country.
That said, Goodale concedes recreational use of cannabis remains a criminal offence under American federal law, although more than two dozen states have legalized or decriminalized it, and it's the federal U.S. government that controls the rules governing border crossings.
And he acknowledges that the American government has the sovereign right to decide who is allowed to enter the country.
Still, he expresses confidence that continuous dialogue with Homeland Security and U.S. border officials will minimize any potential problems.