Introduction 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.
There are currently two committees researching the possibility of legalizing marijuana in Canada. One committee is the Special
Another point that the opposition makes is the message that decriminalizing marijuana would send to young people. Kids in schools would be heavily influence by older children who are already using marijuana, and it would spread throughout the schools. All your life you are being taught that drugs are bad, and now all of a sudden, they are legal? This would increase drug use not only of marijuana, but also of hardcore drugs. If marijuana is legal, than these other drugs can't be too bad, right? That is the question that the younger generation will be thinking to themselves. The government also says that the money saved by not running anti-marijuana ads and programs, they can use the money to fund support groups, etc. That must be one of the most preposterous ideas that anyone has ever had. Instead of promoting a healthy lifestyle for youngsters, scratch the anti-drug ads, and then use that money to help them once they become addicted? If the government is going to decriminalize marijuana, they might as well have no drinking age, and legalize other drugs as well. They could run tons of support programs with all the money they would save by having no anti-drug campaign.
Reformed Marijuana Laws The Canadian Legislature has introduced a bill to decriminalize marijuana, and with