The Controlled Substances Act (Marijuana Prohibition)
CLN-4U Unit One Essay
Cailey Bazik
CLN 4U – Unit One Essay
Controlled Substances Act
Marijuana Prohibition
The Controlled substance act pertaining to Marijuana has been a long on going battle as to whether marijuana should be legal in Canada and taken out of this act. The law behind the drug has a long history and many failed attempts at decriminalization. There are both positive and negative effects to this law, but I believe the positive effects weigh out the negative and that because of this marijuana will be legal in the near future.
The Marijuana laws in Canada today are unresolved, as superior courts have ruled all cannabis laws to be of “no force or effect”.
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The president of the Canadian Police Association believes Canadians are trying to decriminalize marijuana prematurely. He says supporters of change are overlooking the risks. “We don’t have the tools and the training available to us now to ensure that people aren’t driving cars, for example, or operating machinery, while they’re impaired by Marijuana” he said. “ There are all kinds of implications that I don’t think people are considering carefully enough… Its still a harmful substance ultimately” (Ballingall)
That being said there are many negative effects to having the prohibition of Marijuana in place. The Union of B.C municipalities passed a resolution summoning research be done looking into the legalization of marijuana. They came to the conclusion that the prohibition has been ineffective in deterring youth use, and production of the plant. (Wood, Antweiler) It seems that other measures need to be taken in order to ensure the youth of Canada don’t use drugs recreationally, and criminalizing marijuana has little effect.
Researchers from the University of British Columbia and Simon Fraser’s university have estimated B.C’s marijuana market would be worth more than $500 million annually. Unfortunately most of the revenue goes to criminal organizations. (Wood, Antweiler) This number is based on one province alone, think of how much this number would go up if the whole country were involved in their research. The profiting of criminal
First, from 1900 to 1940, marijuana, including opium and cocaine were considered part of everyday drugs. As time went on, the U.S. cracked down on crack and opium, eventually outlawing them, but continued to be very “loose” with the use of marijuana. Hoxter a weed smuggler explains how he began in the 1960’s trying weed and years later saw himself unloading four hundred pounds of pot in Vancouver. The story of this man ends in his isolation and argument of why he couldn’t smoke weed even if he stopped selling? He asked a parole officer and she didn’t know what to respond. It is true what Hoxter states, fifty years ago alcohol was illegal and now it’s not, was it bad then? Will weed be legalized? And will the conflicts have been in vain? (Schou 8). Around the late 90’s and early 2000’s, scientific studies started to produce jaw-dropping results. Scientists started to discover that marijuana can significantly help people who have become ill. Medical Marijuana has been tested to help people with cataracts, cancer and severe depression (Zeese 1999). With this new worldwide discovery, the argument about medical marijuana ignited. States wanted to only make medical marijuana legal so it may help sick people, but the government did not want any form of marijuana legal. The law that was known throughout the United States was any form of marijuana was illegal. But now with this new discovery, doctors in states across the country want the
The Canadian Liberal Government hopes to introduce legislation to legalize marijuana in 2017, but I don’t know if that is the right choice to make. Almost two out of every 10 Canadians reported having consumed marijuana in the past year, but more than 30 per cent of poll respondents said they would do so in the next year if it were legal. There are no benefits of doing this substance, so why do it! There are many side effects that marijuana can have on a person such as dizziness, lack of motivation, lung problems, etc. Hopefully, weed does not become legalized in Canada because there are many negative aspects of doing so.
Marijuana is currently a hot topic of debate throughout Canada, and has been for the past few years. Marijuana was first banned in 1923 under the Opium and Drug Act, but since 1997 the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act have controlled it. In 2000, over 30,000 Canadians were charged with possession of marijuana. Currently, the marijuana laws are not enforced equally across the country, which has prompted the interest in changing the laws or possibly decriminalizing marijuana. Also, those convicted of marijuana related crimes usually don't go to jail, but they do receive a criminal record.
During discussions of legalizing cannabis for the public, many judges in Canada have allowed using marijuana in personal medical situations. For example, Nichols (2000) expresses that:
Marijuana is currently a hot topic of debate throughout Canada, and has been for the past few years. Marijuana was first banned in 1923 under the Opium and Drug Act, but since 1997 the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act have controlled it. In 2000, over 30,000 Canadians were charged with possession of marijuana. Currently, the marijuana laws are not enforced equally across the country, which has prompted the interest in changing the laws or possibly decriminalizing marijuana. Also, those convicted of marijuana related crimes usually don’t go to jail, but they do receive a criminal record.
Legalizing marijuana has become one of the most talked about topics in Canada. The Canadian Government has many considerations to digest before they legalize the drug
Should marijuana be legalized? Marijuana, also known as cannabis, is currently an illegal recreational herb or substance in Canada with some exceptions to government authorized dispensaries for medical use. Legalization means its legal but with regulations in place. Cigarettes are legal but have many regulations on how they are made, how they are packaged, how they are sold and even used. Legalization of marijuana ensures regulations are put in place for the wellbeing of all Canadians. There are many benefits to legalizing marijuana such as making the substance less accessible to minors, increase taxation revenues, and lowering criminal activity.
Currently it is legal to use marijuana under a Health Canada license for medical purposes in Canada; however, the debate if Canada should legalize marijuana for recreational use has exploded in controversy of the years (marijuanaalaws.ca). For instance, Lupick argues British Columbia should be proactive with legalizing recreational use of cannabis since most of the West Coast has already legalized marijuana in all capacities (Lupick). Some opinions argue that legalization should occur because the perception is there are no health risks to the use of marijuana and there are benefits for individuals with medical issues (Pacula et al. 1021). However, the opinion alters for some individuals that claim
University students took to the public domain to have their voices heard through newspapers, meetings, and interviews. Marcel notes a 1969 issue of York University’s Excalibur which had “pleaded for the legalization of marijuana” and where it had “denounced what it called the social hypocrisy surrounding the debate on recreational drug use (Martel pg.41).” As the controversial debate surrounding the decriminalization of marijuana escalated, the Canadian government was compelled to respond. Thus in 1962, the Le Dain Commission of Inquiry into the Non-Medicinal Use of Drugs was born. Authors, Susan C. Boyd and Connie Carter, outline the Commission's duties in their book, Killer Weed. “The Commission's role was to examine this phenomenon and make recommendations for domestic and international policy and legislative changes (Boyd, Carter pg. 52).” One of the commission’s key resource’s in understanding
Legalizing the use of marijuana has been an ongoing debate since it was first classified as a narcotic in the Narcotic Act in 1970 (Napchan et al, 2011). Once defined as a narcotic, cannabis was made unattainable through a pharmacist, or through prescription by a physician (Napchan et al, 2011). Cannabis, also known as “marijuana”, refers to any preparation of the cannabis plant, most of which are intended for use as a psychoactive substance (Napchan et al, 2011). Marijuana has many benefits in Canada if legalization were to occur. Canada’s economy would benefit greatly from the legalization of marijuana by boosting taxation dollars, as well as creating jobs for many Canadians. Not only would the economy benefit, but communities would benefit
Marijuana has always been illegal in Canada, but it has recently been addressed by the Canadian government that by 2018 marijuana will become legal for people eighteen years and older. Since this law became official there has been a large debate on whether it should really be put into place. It has always been taught how marijuana is harmful which is why many people are against the idea of legalizing it. If marijuana was allowed there would be more solutions to health issues, it would be less accessible and the judicial system would improve. Ultimately, there are far more advantages than disadvantages of legalizing marijuana, which is why marijuana should be legal for people eighteen years and older.
There are many debate over the legalization of marijuana in Canada for several decades and is still a very controversial issue. In Canada, many considers marijuana harmful because marijuana is an illegal drug according to the law. Some people are intending to justify the possession and use of marijuana by claiming the medical purposes and exaggerating how marihuana is less harmful than cigarette and alcohol. However, I strongly disagree to decriminalize the possession of marijuana because of health issues due to the use of marijuana, and no solid evidence of its medical value. Legalization of marijuana have a potential threat of causing additional addiction. Moreover, increase in the number of weed smokers cause more people to go on welfare,
The marijuana legalization is a hot potato in the world. Many people say that marijuana is a drug, so it should be illegal; however other people say that marijuana should be legalized because of the less risk than other drugs. In spite of the controversy surrounding marijuana, Canadians seem to be tolerant of marijuana; the current government of Canada tries to legalize marijuana like alcohol.
Cannabis is becoming increasingly widespread and increasingly common in modern-day society for both recreational use and for medication. The article by Craig Reinarman, ‘Criminalisation, legalisation and the mixed blessing of medicalisation in the USA’ generates many controversial issues of cannabis.
Over the long period of human history, drugs that alter mental functioning have been consumed internationally around the world including marijuana. Canada is not an exception. Cannabis or also known as marijuana is the most popularly used illegal substance in Canada over the decades(Substance Abuse in Canada, 2015, pg.3). Many of illegal substances are broadly termed as psychoactive drugs and these substances including cannabis are consumed for many different purposes. Marijuana is sometimes consumed by many people for meditational purpose as part of the treatment of illness or diseases. On the other hand, there are people use marijuana as their personal enjoyment or curiosity. Thus, drug policy is a necessary social tool in our society to