Cannabis Legalization in Canada

Introduction

There are two major uses of marijuana as relates to its legalization. One of them is the medical use of cannabis and the recreational use of the same. The benefits of marijuana in medicine have been studied and proved to manage mainly pain and the side effects of cancer treatment options such as chemotherapy. The recreational use involves the unregulated consumption of marijuana to relax or stimulate the mind. Canada has come a long way in its cannabis legalization journey, with its recreational use implemented on 17th October 2018. However, its medical use has been legal since 2001.

I decided to consider this issue because of the effects its deliberations have on the lives of people in an economic, social and political sense. What majorly concerns me is the number of people that remain in the black market because of legal issues, and legalization negates such issues altogether. It gives a chance for some of the black market players to legalize their practice and not worry about getting arrested all the time (Kovacevich, 2018). People have been consuming cannabis illegally for a long time, legalizing it makes it easy for them to live much more honestly without fear of incarceration. Legalization, in my opinion, is another step towards fairness and civilization, where people now accommodate the changing views about cannabis in society.

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The political party I feel most represents my views is the New Democratic Party. Its orientation is neither radical nor conservative. It is the third or fourth largest political party in Canada and has Jagmeet Singh as the party leader (NDP, 2019). The party’s main ideologies are social democracy and democratic socialism, and it is a key player in the fight to decriminalize the use and possession of marijuana for recreational purposes. It is also a proponent of social assistance policies (NDP, 2019). These are policies that support programs that help citizens in their reentry into the workforce after incarceration or other reasons that made them stop working. Social assistance is an important theme when it comes to the black market that characterizes drug operations. For most drug dealers, conviction and incarceration leave an indelible mark that affects their ability to work in legitimate fields again.

According to Campbell and Hansen (2012), drug traffickers are always trying to get out of the ‘game.’ However, there are so many challenges that prompt them to keep playing in the black market side of things. For the longest time, marijuana has belonged to this underground world, with the traffickers considered criminals and living in fear of getting caught. A program that allows them to come to light has been lacking, and it became extremely difficult for them to work in legitimate fields or industries. For them, legalization allows them to work as they wish without fear of punishment or discrimination. However, there could be instances of discrimination. According to the signaling theory, their having worked in the black market could present them as defiant and nonconforming.

If I were responsible for creating a policy regarding the field of legal marijuana, I would work towards the social assistance of the players in the industry. I would work to liaise with various forms that are liberal enough to work with people that were considered unconventional and rebellious. I would gear towards ensuring that they get support for their work and that they do not heed to the temptation of going back to the black market and dealing with other illegal drugs. I would work towards fully integrating them into the workforce.

Marijuana legalization is a democratic issue. As a value, democracy allows people to keep their views earn a living the way they deem fit. Marijuana consumption has been in use for a long time, though illegally. Therefore, its legalization gives people a fair chance to earn a living within the construct of the law. It is an issue of allowing the people social justice (Gabriel, 2019). The issue is also a democratic one by the process the country underwent before the final legalization and decriminalization of marijuana. The final legalization represents the will of the people, which is a construct of democracy.

I hold that protests can be effective ways of advocating for the address of issues in different settings. However, effectiveness can only go so far. Protests, to be effective within the context of the law and human rights, have to be peaceful (Cheptora, 2017). They should also be employed once other methods of conflict resolution fail. For example, diplomacy is a fairly effective way of resolving conflicts. Advocating for policy changes on various issues using political parties is also an effective strategy. For example, the Marijuana Party in Canada represents the needs and interests of those that support its legalization. Affiliation with the party, as well as electing leaders of this party, is a much better way of advocacy as opposed to protests. Moreover, violent protests should be considered criminal events. They are acts against human rights. They are a direct violation of peace and may only elicit more anger and resistance from those against which they protest. Thus, violent protesters risk losing their credibility from their opponents.

Political issues matter to people, and this fact reflects in the way the media covers such issues. The media is the outlet people and organizations use to connect with the public and with those in authority. It gives people a platform on which to air issues and spearheads or propels discussions on numerous issues affecting people (Happer & Philo, 2013). However, the media can be biased against some groups of people or some issues. The media can sometimes concentrate on the attention-grabbing issues or perspectives and fail to offer a true picture of the issues in question (Happer & Philo, 2013). As a result, people may become prejudiced against certain players in a debate and negate their opinions as well. It especially becomes problematic because of the use of social media, which spreads information fast and to millions of people at an instance.

Despite the undesirable subtexts occasionally associated with the media, it is a tool of spreading information on social issues (Happer & Philo, 2013). It is essential to stay informed on social issues and their effects on the lives and wellbeing of people. Knowing what happens in the social arena gives people perspective and helps them make decisions on matters that may affect their lives. Such knowledge also informs people of the changing views on certain issues. For example, understanding the perspectives of people on LGBTQ issues allows reluctant people to form new ideas that could potentially affect their interactions with LGBTQ people. The same applies to marijuana legalization. Understanding such a change could influence the way a person regards former illegal marijuana dealers and inspire a much more positive outlook. My understanding of social issues affects the way I look at the issues around me as well as my interaction with the involved players.

References

1. Campbell, H., & Hansen, T. (2012). Getting out of the Game: Desistance from drug trafficking. International Journal of Drug Policy, 23(6), 481-487. doi:10.1016/j.drugpo.2012.04.002
2. Cheptora, L. C. (2017, March 27). Why people use violent methods of protesting. Retrieved from https://www.news24.com/MyNews24/why-people-use-violent-methods-of-protesting-20170327
3. Gabriel, T. (2019, March 18). Legalizing Marijuana, With a Focus on Social Justice, Unites 2020 Democrats. The New York Times. Retrieved April 10, 2019, from https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/17/us/politics/marijuana-legalize-democrats.html
4. Happer, C., & Philo, G. (2013). The Role of the Media in the Construction of Public Belief and Social Change. Journal of Social and Political Psychology, 1(1), 321-336. Retrieved April 10, 2019, from https://jspp.psychopen.eu/article/view/96/37
5. Kovacevich, N. (2018, June 28). What America Can Learn From Canada's Cannabis Legalization. Retrieved April 10, 2019, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/nickkovacevich/2018/06/28/what-america-can-learn-from-canadas-cannabis-legalization/#5dfa61f2134d
6. [bookmark: _Hlk5774766]NDP. (2019). NDP. Retrieved April 10, 2019, from https://www.ndp.ca/about-ndp