Professor Barbara von Tigerstrom named to Task Force on Marijuana Legalization and Regulation

Professor Barbara von Tigerstrom will be part of the Task Force on Marijuana Legalization and Regulation the Government of Canada announced today (June 30). The task force will seek input on the design of a new system to legalize, strictly regulate and restrict access to marijuana.

von Tigerstrom is a professor at the University of Saskatchewan College of Law, where she has been a member of faculty since 2005. She holds a law degree from the University of Toronto and a PhD in law from the University of Cambridge. Previously, she has worked at the Supreme Court of Canada, the University of Alberta Health Law Institute, and the University of Canterbury School of Law.

“I am really pleased to have been asked to be a part of this Task Force and hope that my expertise in public health law will be useful in the work we are undertaking,” said von Tigerstrom. “The work will be challenging, but when approached to be a member, I didn’t think twice. It’s a great opportunity to provide important public service.”

Professor von Tigerstrom’s areas of teaching and research are medical law and ethics, public health law and policy, food and drug regulation, and tort law. Her research expertise includes the regulation of pharmaceuticals and legal issues in chronic disease prevention, including policy measures relating to food, alcohol and tobacco. 

As part of the committee, von Tigerstrom will meet with provincial, territorial and municipal governments and experts over the coming months. The task force will also engage young Canadians and representatives from Indigenous governments and organizations before presenting a final report to federal cabinet ministers in November.

von Tigerstrom encourages everyone to read the discussion paper and use the task force website to share their ideas and perspectives on the key questions.