Canada's Cannabis laws

[alexcnd]

Hey everyone,

This is a extremely debated subject and obviously i agree that cannabis should be made legal due to so many benefits - Medical mainly and obviously the money from taxing it would help the economy but....

When does everyone think the Canadian government will give in and admit defeat against the war on drugs?

I know that no one actually knows when the war on drugs will end but what is everyone opinion on the matter cause to be honest it infuriates me that the government would be so bind and in not so many words dam right stupid.


Alex

 

[TanR]

Hi alexcnd.

As a newer member, I'd like to say start by saying Welcome to !

While not particularly well versed in the Canadian Governments approach to cannabis, I think we can see a pretty common thread in the way most of the first world countries have approached the subject of either relaxing laws or legalizing cannabis for specific purposes. That common approach being "Cautiously"!

It appears that very few, if any influential world leaders are currently willing to step into the light and state the obvious - that the 'war on drugs' and specifically the targeting of cannabis related activities has been a tremendous waste of resources and an utter and abject failure at accomplishing it's stated goals. If you look at how it is being approached here in the US, at the federal level leaders seem to want someone else to take the first steps (big shout out to Colorado and Washington states!!!) allowing us watch how those efforts unfold and the resulting consequences.

While I completely agree and empathize with your frustration, I think you'd have to admit that there would naturally be some hesitation on the part of any world leader to come right out and say "Oops, sorry but the last 75 plus years of stories and studies and negative propaganda surrounding the dangers of cannabis were all wrong. The millions of folks we've put in jail or prosecuted was a big mistake, and we are going to flip the switch today and correct all these wrong headed mistakes of the past."

I'd love it if someone would, but unfortunately there is still a large (although rapidly shrinking) percentage of people that have a negative association with cannabis and also unfortunately they are (at least here in the US) the ones most likely to show up at the voting booth. In addition to any re-election concerns a leader might have there is also the perceived damage to a governments ability to govern. In admitting previous laws concerning cannabis to have been errant, they invite future rules or laws (or wars) to be viewed with increased skepticism and thus more difficult to implement or enforce.

I realize that I could be construed here as sounding less than hopeful and that is the furthest thing from accurate. I am actually quite happy with the progress being made here in the US (forgive my ignorance in the specifics of Canadian laws - typical American, I know! LOL) and am pleased to see efforts underway in other countries as well. I just think that we as cannabis proponents need to realize that the giant flywheel of an anti-cannabis ideology will take some time and care to slow to a stop and finally reverse direction.

Be well and be happy with baby steps my friend, as they are better than no steps or continued steps in the wrong direction!

 

[alexcnd]

Hi Tanr,

Thanks for the welcoming message.

Obviously you expect the government of Canada and other counties to approach the subject cautiously but why do you think they they can't admit defeat? Personally i think most governments are scared to even approach the subject of legalisation due to the 80 years of prohibition.
I guess it must be hard to say;

'Everyone after 80 years of putting people in prison and making the tax payers take money out of there own pocket to fund this ridiculous war on drugs that is costing millions, we have now discovered it actually is good for your heath and the economy' Ha

And i guess what is really comes down to is re election. Making that choice of legalising cannabis would really put a halt on parents that don't approve voting for the particular party. I completely agree that no leader wants to make the first step and I'm so glad that Uruguay Government has legalised it cause it really had showed up the US government and the Canadian's.
There are countries that are willing to make the choice of legalising it but i think its down to power and control like it always has.
Your right most parents and the people that are against cannabis will be ones turning up at that voting booth, so i guess its time for us tokers to make sure were there at that voting booth making the difference.

I am happy with how its going and i think that we are a short distance away from complete federal legalisation and the US. Soon as that money starts flooding into the governments pockets they will realise that its a lost cause.

 

[c526]

welcome to the 420

this is a really good spot for learning,,and wayyyyy less flaming/drama then any other site out there



seems to me Canada has gotten rid of caregivers?? taken a step backwards so to speak

as of march 1st 2014 the permits are over,no more personal caregivers(at least in Ontario)
6 plants is an automatic 6 months after 03/ 01/2014

big business will be able to afford the required paperwork,smaller guys not so much

ive got some friends who have been caregivers for 35+years(last7legally) in Ontario and they seem scared shitless,,back to the dark ages for them,they say

my wife whom is a doctor, received a letter from the Ontario board of doctors, asking her to NOT fill out med-paperwork recommendations
(we are Canadian,moved to the U.S.A 15years ago,she was educated in Canada,pays yearly license fees and maintains an Ontario license--only reason she got the letter)

not sure my old homeland is really moving in the right direction--

search for professor Allan young in Toronto,, he helped get personal caregivers,, now says only big business should be growing meds---I think someone got paid

 

[Jtokleballeur]

Hi guys,

Well if we can get the Conservative Party out of office, we might get a chance to make a good step in the right direction. I know the Liberal Party has plans for pure legalization: Young Liberals of Canada

I've never been a big believer of politics and, culturally, as a french-canadian, I'm for the independence of the province of Quebec, but I'll be putting all of that aside and we'll get politically involved with the Liberals, as I believe they are serious about legalization.

 

[brotherbuddz]

I believe this is all the work of Harper and his PC party...he had money allocated to have a private prison built and as we all know it is good business to fill these private prisons with prisoners, so where are we going to get these prisoners?? By toughening the marijuana laws and locking up good honest people who are growing their own medicine while putting money in big corporations. Time to vote in Justin Trudeau and he has realized that Marijuana should be regulated and taxed. I cannot believe how dumb the cons are looking when other countries are starting to wake up and smell the coffee, i would never have thought that the US would have some of their states enact laws to make recreational marijuana legal, i always thought it would happen here first. Last time canadians were polled about marijuana use i think it said like almost 50% have smoked it before or are smoking it and believe it should be legalized. That is a huge percentage.

 

[WildRosebud]

I just got a newsletter from my private dispensary and I copied some opinionated information from them....

"4 out of the 8 currently licenced producers from Health Canada are foreign owned?

That once you have sign up with a licenced producer from Health Canada you will not be able to use any other supplier leaving you with no options?

That the licenced producers from Health Canada can spray and treat their plants with anything they like, include irradiating your medicine and they do not have to tell you!

That under the new regs patients will no longer be able to obtain concentrates, ie hashish, oil, edibles etc. which are known to be beneficial.

Patients under the new regs will not have access to outdoor grown cannabis which produce higher CBD percentages in strains and are beneficial for persons who like and require more buffering. "

They are starting to take steps backwards to retaliate the current laws and laws being put in place. We are in rough shape atm and all HC approved people are all at risk of losing freedom or quality of life Restrictions suck!