Canada ? Efforts at making it legal to possess a half ounce or less of marijuana in Canada will not continue, the country’s new conservative prime minister said Monday in announcing the demise of legislation U.S. authorities worried would weaken efforts to curb drug exports.

The measure was drawn up by the previous Liberal Party government. While possession of marijuana would have remained illegal, the bill was intended to prevent young people from being saddled with a lifelong criminal record.

Party Prime Minister Stephen Harper, speaking to the Canadian Professional Police Assn., said the bill would not be reintroduced when the new Parliament convened Monday.