Law

As medical virtues of cannabis become increasingly clear, the question of how to make it available to patients becomes increasingly urgent.  Conventional routes to medical legitimacy of the process by which a new medicine [is approved and made public] are inappropriate because of the unique history and properties of this substance Grinspoon, 1999).  Many activists argue that for medical purposes as well as other reasons, cannabis should be available to the public under the same restrictions governing alcohol.  At present, the Canadian government is considering decriminalizing marijuana.  Until this process is legislated, IT IS ILLEGAL.  

At present possession of marijuana in Canada is punishable by the imposition of a criminal record, a maximum penalty of up to five years in prison, and a fine up to 2000canadian dollars.  While decriminalization would not legalize marijuana, it would make possession a civil rather than a criminal offense. Possession would earn no criminal record, but rather the offender would be given a fine or a ticket, similar to those issued for traffic infractions.