Ticketing for Small Amounts of Marijuana in Canada

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 legalization of marijuana has been a hot topic in the media for many years now. There is a major divide in those who believe it should be legal, those who do not, and those who think it could be legal with modifications on the usage. The number of those who support the legalization of marijuana is on the rise with nearly 50% supporting recreational marijuana legalization, and 81% supporting marijuana legalization for medical treatment as of 2015 ("Public Support for Marijuana Legalization, 2015”). Marijuana should be legalized on a federal level because it is safer than alcohol, it will increase the economy, and there is an unfair criminalization of marijuana.

For many years, there has been a war against society and the federal government on whether or not marijuana should be legal in the U.S., for medicinal and recreational purposes. There are so many positive aspects as to why it would be a highly viable asset to communities all over the U.S. Though there are some aspects to be looked at and taken into consideration when it comes to legalizing this drug, it still stands as an important fact that marijuana should be in fact legalized by the federal government, so that the development of hemp crops can be used as a valuable agricultural crop in the U.S., creating a new bio-fuel to reduce carbon emissions we consume every day, so that we can expose majority of the prohibitions on the dangers of marijuana are solely based on disinformation and lies, and so that dollars collected in tax revenue from marijuana sales can be used for bettering our communities instead of spending our earned taxed dollars on criminalization costs keeping it illegal.

Marijuana during the 70’s was viewed much differently then it is today. Twenty-Seven states approve for new medical studies, and consequential turn out of those convicted of using the most commonly used drug in the world, is making the United States change their opinion on the subject. The most debatable question going on right now in this question about Marijuana is: Whether or Marijuana should be legalized based on how it effects people’s health, its resourcefulness to medicine, and the contribution to the country?

The topic of marijuana has been a big topic for the past few years. The United States considers marijuana as a drug, in some other countries they say it is a natural herb that is grown from the ground. The issue at hand is “should marijuana be legalized?” the congress of the US stay in a constant debate on this subject. Why is the subject of marijuana such in high demand, if the US already considers it a drug? There are many facts that need to be looked at before a final decision can ever be made. In contrast since the past two weeks the state of Colorado became the second state in the US to legalize marijuana. Obviously it is possible for marijuana to be accepted into society, obviously there are as much pros as

Over the past few years, the issue of the legalization of marijuana has become a very controversial topic. When confronted with the issue, it feels almost instinctive to feel as though marijuana should forever be illegal. However, when the issue is really dissected and thought about, it becomes apparent that ther

In the essay “Marijuana Should Not be Legalized in Canada”, the author’s controlling idea is that marijuana should not legalized in Canada because of health, tax, and societal impacts. To begin with, the author tells us “if store-bought marijuana becomes overtaxed, people will fall back on the already established underground market”. This example discusses how black market will continue existing because of the overtaxed of the marijuana. Moreover, “street marijuana has other drugs mixed into it” so that more people prefer and that will also increase the establish of underground market. Secondly, the author states “marijuana constrain 33 chemicals that are known to cause cancer”. This reinforces the idea that marijuana cause health problems.

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)

Many have long argued that prohibition simply does not work. ( ) Today, the strict policy on cannabis is reinforced by severe punishment. In reality, police forces have been growing more lenient to cannabis use, prioritising more pressing areas, indicating a change in law enforcement attitude to the drug. ( ) This may also suggest a change in social culture. The flaws of prohibition are present today regarding the so-called ‘War on Drugs’. People who are otherwise innocent are swept into the criminal justice system because of cannabis use. (6) Thus, they face the problem of a criminal record and may even become involved with harmful activity whilst in the criminal justice system. This situation has wrongly allowed cannabis to be a powerful

Additionally, analyses of current policy practices demonstrate a failure to achieve the set out goals of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (1996) in reducing the consumption of cannabis (Broughton, 2014). Instead, criminalization has created further social issues. For example, an increase in arrests under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (1996) has not led to a decrease in the use of marijuana, with around 60,000 Canadian arrested for simple possession every year. On the contrary, the number of distributors and consumers has only increased in recent years (Room et al., 2010, p.60). The experiences within Canadian courts also demonstrate the inefficiency of the current approach to cannabis. For example, the case of R. v. Malmo-Levine (2003) deals with the possession of marijuana. Malmo-Levine was charged with possession and trafficking of marijuana. He argued that the criminalization and punishment of possession of marijuana goes against his rights as stated by section 7 in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Section 7 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms declares that “everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of the person and the right not to be deprived thereof

The legalization of marijuana is a controversial issue in North America today. Despite the outstanding benefits of legalizing this drug, we haven't gotten any closer to ending the war on drugs. There are major social, law enforcement and fiscal benefits with very minor drawbacks. Many European countries have proven than legalizing drugs can reap many benefits and we should follow these liberal ideas so we can also enjoy the benefits.

To begin with, analyzing the socio-historical context of the use of marijuana in Canada will allow a better understanding of the severity of the punishment for marijuana related crime, meaning that we will be looking at the history of the criminal law involving cannabis and how the laws have change over time. Analyzing the history of the laws containing marijuana will present how the value and views within a society can influence a creation of new laws and policy. Cannabis has always been ban and prohibited, but unlike in 2016 where the laws involving marijuana is quite forgiving, in the past, the punishment for possessing marijuana was much more severe. The possession and use of cannabis was deemed to be criminal in the eyes of the law. The

“They funnel money into the illegal market and drive criminal activity”, Spithoff, Emerson and Spithoff argues that the prohibition of cannabis led to investment in large amount of money into its illicit market and ignites various kinds of criminal activities in society (1211) and “The most obvious are the gang hits and gun battles that indeed impact the safety of Canadian streets, much of it fuelled by turf battles over the illegal drug trade”. MacQueen claims that the prohibition of hemp is the main cause of fights between rival gangs which often put public safety on a great risk (17). While government can take over this situation by using the experience of other countries like Uruguay and Portugal in which cannabis was decriminalized about fifteen years ago and “has the lowest addiction rate of illegal drugs in all of Europe” (Akpata 14). Akpata also concludes that this will end up in the release of thousands of non-violent citizens who are behind the bars for smoking a plant of marijuana

The legalization of marijuana is such a growing debate in the United States, whether it’s on television, in the classroom, or in your own kitchen; you may find yourself debating about it with someone. You are either for it, against it, or indifferent. Either way you still have an opinion of some sort about the legalization of marijuana. Christopher Beach and William Bennett are no different. The release of their article on called “Legalize Juggernaut” on WeeklyStandard.com timing is perfect since the legalization of marijuana is such a hot topic these days. With Some states already starting to decriminalizing the possession of marijuana and other states Like Colorado making marijuana totally legal, it’s a no brainier that Beach and Bennett chose to write an article about this topic. The two authors of the article “Legalize Juggernaut”, Beach and Bennett are strongly against legalizing marijuana. They argue that legalizing marijuana won’t be beneficial to anyone one in the United States. Beach and Bennett had numerous reasons behind their claim. One of their reasons is that over the last 10 years, fatal car accidents involving people who were stoned have tripled. Another reason that Beach and Bennett claim marijuana should be legalized is because it won’t produce a financial windfall and the money that state government in Colorado will make because of legalization won’t be as great as the societal cost of wasted lives”. Their last reason Beach and Bennett say marijuana

Marijuana has a long standing history of being one of the most controversial substances in America. While the history or the Cannabis plant indicates not only acceptance as a useful plant, but even advocated as a source of revenue and medicinal usage, much of the United States government propaganda over the last 100+ years has led Americans to accept very slighted and often false information about the plant and its uses. Based on the origin of the illegalization of marijuana and the inconsistent findings of its effects in comparison to other substances, both legal and illegal, marijuana should be decriminalized and treated as a recreational substance just as alcohol and tobacco are.