And so, here we go. The recreational use of cannabis is now legal in Canada, making ours only the second country, after tiny Uruguay, to take a leap that is both epic and overblown. Overblown because, in one critical way, nothing will change. According to Statistics Canada, 4.9 million of us consumed $5.7-billion worth of cannabis in various forms, both medical and non-medical, in 2017. Canadians don’t need a change in the law to be encouraged to use pot. The essence of the moment is that a government has acknowledged the scope of cannabis use by its citizens, and the reality of its limited health risks, and pushed through a bold reform. That alone makes Oct. 17, 2018, a remarkable day. (See also: Canadians with past pot convictions won’t have to pay or wait to apply for a pardon)