RECREATIONAL USE OF CANNABIS
The Liberal Government of Canada has announced that it will legalize weed in Canada by July of 2018. The current marijuana laws in Canada, however, do not permit the use of cannabis outside of the medical arena. Production, distribution and possession of cannabis (without proper paperwork) could still lead to charges.
The Liberal Party’s stance on marijuana is that it should be legalized. Justin Trudeau’s argument is twofold; further regulate its production and distribution to protect our country’s youth, and remove the criminal element (organized crime) from the equation.
The Conservative’s marijuana views change with the ebb and flow of everyday politics. Stephen Harper once said “Obviously, I think Mr. Trudeau’s actions display poor judgement”, while today’s Conservatives all seem to be leaning towards legalization.
For the better part of 40 years, the NDP has believed that the use of weed in Canada should be a “personal choice,” and that a person should not have a criminal record for possession or personal use of a small amount of marijuana.
The Green Party believes that the criminalization of marijuana in Canada has not accomplished what it originally set out to do. Instead, they believe that Canada should be legalizing weed and taxing it, and that drug use/addiction should be viewed as a health concern and not a criminal offence.
The current marijuana laws in Canada are outlined in the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations (ACMPR). As the name suggests, the ACMPR allows Canadians access to marijuana for medicinal use. In order to properly and legally obtain cannabis, one must be diagnosed and prescribed marijuana by a physician or nurse practitioner before sourcing it from a licensed producer. Not to be confused with dispensaries or compassion clubs, licensed producers have been granted permission by Health Canada to produce and distribute the drug under strict guidelines.
WHO GOVERNS THE ACMPR?
In August of 2016, Health Canada released an amended version of the Marihuana for Medical Purposes Regulations (MMPR). Now known as the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations (ACMPR), the set of guidelines has been structured in a way to allow for a strictly regulated commercial cannabis industry, as well as for individuals who are approved by Health Canada to grow, or designate someone to grow, marijuana on their behalf for personal, medicinal use.
Forwarded from www.weedhub.ca