OTTAWA - Former Toronto police chief Bill Blair, now an MP, says the current approach to marijuana is failing and the government will need to eye public health implications as it moves to give pot the legal green light.

Blair, parliamentary secretary to the Justice minister, is among a group speaking today at an open Senate Liberal caucus meeting focused on the legalization of marijuana.

He has been tapped by the Trudeau government to take a leading role on the file, working closely with the departments of Justice, Public Safety and Health.

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Clive Weighill, president of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, is also speaking at the forum.

He says legalization will change the world of enforcement on marijuana and front line police will need new training.

The first step in the path to legalization will be establishing a provincial, territorial and federal task force to hear from public health, substance abuse and public safety experts.