Article by Betsy Powell, The Toronto Star Toronto lawyer Paul Lewin jokes that he has been “ranting and raving” about the evils of drug prohibition for years but no one, outside the cannabis community, paid much attention to what he had to say. That changed after Justin Trudeau’s Liberal Party came to power in 2015, promising to legalize marijuana. The ...

Article by CTV News A Windsor man claims he is facing work discrimination after being denied the use of medical marijuana while on the job. Joshua Jacquot tells CTV News he has no choice but to look into taking legal action. “I have tried to commit suicide,” Jacquot claims. Jacquot battles depression, anxiety and chronic back pain after a serious ...

Article by Sarah Leamon, The Georgia Straight It appears that the Liberals are coming through on one of their campaign promises, which was the legalization of marijuana. Earlier today, legislation was tabled by our government, seeking to end the 94-year prohibition again the drug. But with it came with some unexpected proposal that are likely to be in conflict with our ...

Article by Kevin Robillard, Politico Department of Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly said Sunday that marijuana is “not a factor” in the war on drugs and that solving the nation’s drug problem does not involve “arresting a lot of users.” Kelly, appearing on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” was discussing his work to stop the flow of drugs into the United ...

Article by John Paul Tasker, CBC News Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould introduced major changes to the country’s impaired driving laws Thursday, including provisions that will allow for mandatory roadside alcohol screening and new criminal offences for driving while high. The legislation, introduced concurrently with the government’s cannabis legalization bill, will allow police to demand a driver provide an “oral fluid sample” — saliva — ...

Article by Marc Solby, Ottawa Citizen The government’s new Bill C-45, legalizing marijuana, is going to fail miserably in its primary goal. A few weeks ago, Anne McLellan, who led the federal government’s task force on legalization, was interviewed by the cannabis-centric website Lift. They asked her if “the goal for the government with the legalization of cannabis is similar ...

Article by Ishmael N. Daro, Buzz Feed One of the biggest questions hanging over the Liberal government’s legalization efforts has been whether people previously convicted of pot offences will get a clean slate once those same crimes are no longer on the books. However, the government’s legalization bill — known as the Cannabis Act — contains no such measure. Public ...

Article by Marcus A. Sibley, Ottawa Citizen Bill C-45, also referred to as the Cannabis Act, outlines the federal government’s “robust regulatory framework” for legal marijuana. It makes several amendments to the Criminal Code, including provisions aimed at loosening penalties around possession and home cultivation (for personal use) as well as tightening laws that address impaired driving and youth access ...

Article by CBC On Thursday, the federal government introduced legislation to legalize the recreational use of marijuana. There are still plenty of details to be ironed out before the July 1st, 2018 target date for legal pot. But despite the uncertainty, private companies are already preparing to profit from the new industry. And Canada’s small towns are lining up to claim their own share ...

Article by Montreal Gazette A network of drug-addiction rehabilitation centres says recreational marijuana use should not be legalized for Canadians under 25. Portage, which offers treatment in Quebec, Ontario and Atlantic Canada, says it’s concerned by the federal government’s plan, announced Thursday, to legalize marijuana use. The non-profit organization helps about 500 teenagers every year, most of whom are addicted ...