Legalization of cannabis

Clara Lorenzo Rojansky – 8am Thursday class

Mark Hegins

The legalization of cannabis

Many people have argued about whether the legalisation of this narcotic was a good or bad idea and if its process came too fast.

Cannabis, or marijuana, became legalized in the end of 2018. Benefits? There are many just as there are downsides. To begin, addiction to marijuana is, in a sense, not possible. Let me explain, being physically addicted to this drug was proven to not be possible. However, the mental addiction is very much possible and very much true. With the legalisation of cannabis, we could better fund the research to help with this addiction and learn how to deal with this problem which is becoming more and more noticeable in today’s 21st society. We need to be able to help those in need of it and with the legalisation of this drug, we could be saving people’s lives, family etc.

Secondly, this act of decriminalizing marijuana has brought a significant amount of revenue to the government which, in return, has been able to tax the buyers. This comes relate to a point previously made which was the funding of research for addiction which could be done by the government with the tax money. This also permits them to put in place laws such as consumer and protection laws which could come benefit our consumers significantly. In exchange for safe and legal consumption, our government makes money and a safer population.

         Now, a big factor that plays an important role in why this legalisation was something good for Canada, is the one of safe consumption. Before this, you would have people buying cannabis from random and dangerous places to just satisfy their needs. A lot of the time, you would hear about the spiking or lacing of cannabis which resulted in serious injuries and sometimes hospitalization. With the SQDC put in place, we know where the cannabis has been grown, in which environment, where it was packaged, so on and so forth. So, the whole concept of legally providing marijuana helps your average consumer to have an overall better experience with the drug and, most importantly, a safe one. Along with a safer experience, you’re also able to choose, depending on the strain you’re getting, the percentage of THC that you would like. THC, also known as tetrahydrocannabinol, is one of the most common cannabinoids found in marijuana, the second one being CBD or cannabidiol. THC is the psychoactive compound in marijuana, the one that makes you feel “high” and so by being able to choose the strength of the drug’s potency, it results in a safer consumption.

        However, there are risks that exist with the legalisation of cannabis, one of them being driving under the influence. “Stoned drivers” are very much present on the roads. Many believe that just as there exists a breathalyser, which calculates and shows the percentage of alcohol present in one’s body, there should be a machine or at the very least a gadget to help determine the levels of THC present in someone. This is something that our government should be able to invest in with the money earned from the dispensaries, which are spread out a little bit everywhere in Canada.

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