There is a joke that says if all the people in the world smoked a joint at the same time, there would be world peace for two hours, followed by a global food shortage.
Out of all the banned substances, the public probably looks at marijuana most favourably. An Angus Reid study conducted in 2012 found that 57 per cent of people surveyed were in favour of decriminalization.
Now, after the recent changes in various American states, Canadians look with curiosity to the future of the drug.
If it were up to Blair Longley, marijuana would be legal tomorrow. He is the leader of the Marijuana Party, a federal party who’s biggest – and almost exclusive – platform is marijuana legalization. Longley said the state of legalization today is not as good as people might think. Although Canadians might support legalization, the government does not, he said.
“The gap between public opinion and government in power is so extreme. On one hand cannabis is more criminalized now than it has ever been before. At the same time the majority of Canadians don’t believe [that],” he said.
Longley said his party advocates for decriminalization and legalization, which are two distinct goals.
Where decriminalization would remove all laws that prohibit marijuana use or sale, legalization would regulate how and when it could be used and sold, similar to how alcohol is sold today, according to Longley. Though the Marijuana Party is a federal political party, Longley said they work more as a lobby group.
“We don’t expect to ever win elections,” he said.
Grow your own medicine
One of the methods through which marijuana can be obtained legally right now is in medical cases.
Through the Marihuana Medical Access Regulations (MMAR), somebody with a medical condition can get a license to either grow their own marijuana, or buy it directly from Health Canada. Though it seems like an easy way for those who want to smoke to get access to marijuana, Longley said the number of people who get their marijuana legally are easily outnumbered by those who get it from the black market.
“You have 1,000 times as many people who want to consume marijuana as the number who have a legal license to do so. There’s people who really need it,” he said.
But, he said those people make up a very small amount of users.
But the MMAR is changing. Starting April 1, 2014, the MMAR will be replaced by the Marihuana for Medical Purposes Regulations (MMPR). Under the new rules, people will no longer be able to produce their own marijuana. Instead, the government will issue licenses to companies, which will then be allowed to produce marijuana and sell it to those who have prescriptions. Health Canada will also stop selling marijuana under the new rules.
Jeannine Ritchot, director of medical marijuana regulatory reform at Health Canada, said the changes are an effort to regulate marijuana like any other medication.
She used the example of Tylenol, saying that people can’t produce it in their own homes, but have to buy it from a producer.
“We’re looking to move to a state of play where we treat marijuana the same way we treat all those other drugs,” Ritchot said.
While that may sound like the government is moving towards a deregulation of marijuana, Ritchot said the purpose of the new rules “is not to legalize marijuana.”
Legalization vs. Decriminalization
John Conroy is a lawyer who has spoken about drug regulations in front of the Supreme Court of Canada.
He is also working on an injunction on behalf of medical marijuana users that would stop the MMPR from taking effect. Conroy said the MMPR would take away people’s right to grow their own medicine. Conroy added he believes legalization, not decriminalization, is the proper way to go, not only for marijuana but for all prohibited drugs.
“Illicit drugs need to be regulated as opposed prohibited, and the reason for that simply is that prohibition as a legal approach causes more problems than solutions,” Conroy said.
Conroy said when a drug is prohibited, it gets pushed into the black market, which then fuels crime, and causes other problems.
One of those problems is the amount of resources it takes police to control a substance like marijuana, Tim Smith, a spokesperson for the Canadian Association of Police Chiefs said.
That is why at a recent conference the association outlined their recommendation of handing out tickets for simple marijuana possession. Smith said currently police have to either arrest anybody possessing marijuana, or let them off with a warning. Handing out tickets would provide a middle ground, he said.
“This comes under the umbrella of justice efficiencies. We’re overwhelmed by the fact that laying formal court charges is a daunting task, taking up tons of time,” he said.
But again, for those hoping it would be a stepping stone for decriminalization, Smith said it is not, in any way.
“We’re not out there stating our support for decriminalization or legalization,” he said.
The times they might be a-changin’
However, many believe that decriminalization does indeed have a future in Canada. Conroy said there is, and it probably lies in the hands of politicians. He pointed to recent announcements, like that of Liberal leader Justin Trudeau, who admitted to having smoked pot before, as well as stated his belief that it should be legalized.
“The Liberal party has put together a very detailed, thoroughly considered policy on the whole issue of how to do it . . . they’re way ahead of taking a position on it,” Conroy said, adding that the NDP also had a policy, though one of decriminalization.
Conroy said even though he has seen past efforts for legalization fail, he thinks the possibility of it happening in the near future is still strong.
“I’ve been involved for forty years. I hesitate, but I think . . . we’re at a time in our history . . . there is a new sense of optimism rising that it might just occur this time,” he said.
