Marijuana Decriminalization Essay - 1420 Words

The Canadian government has created many laws with the intention of ameliorating the quality of life of its citizens. Unfortunately, in some instances these laws and policies become public nuisances that do more harm than good. This has become the case with the federal government’s decision to criminalize marijuana under the Narcotics Act. This legislation was created by bureaucrats without fully weighing its advantages and disadvantages in an attempt to protect Canadian citizens from the effects of marijuana, which include a loss of coordination and temporary memory loss. As a result of passing this law the Canadian justice system is clogged with marijuana offenders whose lives are being ruined at great expense to taxpayers, and the†¦show more content†¦The sheer number of marijuana related court cases has hampered the ability of the Canadian legal system to arrest and to prosecute more serious offenders, as $1 billion in police resources are wasted annually catching marijuana offenders and the courts struggle to process all of these arrests. Young males make up the majority of the offenders, with 86% being under the age of 25 and with 90% being male (Rebick A19). Even more alarming is the fact that 67% of the arrests made were for simple possession of marijuana, meaning that these people were just recreational users, not traffickers. This law banning marijuana has unsuccessfully attempted to stop marijuana use, albeit it has successfully managed to ruin the lives of a large number of young Canadian males. Some of these young men attend high school and university, and some of have jobs, pay taxes and contribute to the economy. According to Carey, the criminalization of marijuana has unfairly given 600, 000 Canadians with bright futures a permanent stigma by shackling them with criminal records (A1). Banning marijuana in Canada has wasted the time of the police and the courts and in doing so has also wasted the lives of valuable Canadian citizens. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;In addition to wasting valuable taxpayer money, the criminalization of marijuana has prevented the government and industry from experiencing an economic windfall. In Canada alone, about 50, 000 people are charged withShow MoreRelated Decriminalization of Marijuana in Canada Essays1352 Words   |  6 PagesMarijuana 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 convictedRead MoreMarijuana Decriminalization and Legalization636 Words   |  3 PagesThe validity of marijuana decriminalization (and even legalization) is illustrated in the following analysis of the social, fiscal, political, and medical attributes and conceptions associated with the drug. Marijuana has been used for thousands of years, in 2008; archeologists discovered over two pounds of cannabis in a 2,700-year-old grave of a shaman found in Central Asia. (Armentano, 1) Should marijuana be legalized or at least decriminalized in America? The following information may give theRead MoreEssay about Decriminalization of Marijuana in Canada1368 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction 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, thoseRead MoreThe Benefits Of Decriminalization Of Marijuana948 Words   |  4 PagesMarijuana is a widespread drug all over the world. A few countries, such as Netherlands, Australia and some U.S.   jurisdictions, have decriminalized the use of marijuana. 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Many states are actually beginning to decriminalize, and even legalize, marijuana use for medical perposes. In fact, two states, Washington and Colorado, have legalized the recreational use of marijuana for anybody over the age of twenty-one since