On October 17, 2018, Canada became the second country in the world, behind Uruguay, to federally legalize the consumption of cannabis, ending nearly a century of prohibition. But six weeks later, many cannabis users are wondering whatsa国际传媒檚 different, if anything.
sa国际传媒淣othingsa国际传媒檚 really changedsa国际传媒攊tsa国际传媒檚 all the same, and I hate the stigma (thatsa国际传媒檚 still attached to smoking cannabis),sa国际传媒� said Connie Sanders. Black Press Media has changed this name to protect the identity of her children.
In 1908, Canada enacted the Opium Act, which saw the criminalization of morphine, opium, and cocaine use. And amidst mindsets that believed in such things as reefer madness and the marijuana menace, cannabis was added to the Confidential Restricted List of the Narcotics Drug Act Amendment Bill in 1923.
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And there it stayed until the Liberal Party enacted the Cannabis Act in June, 2018. But legalizing cannabis usage has been on the minds of Canadians for decades.
Since the late 1990s, public opinion polls have continued to show more and more agreement with the statement, sa国际传媒楽moking marijuana should not be a criminal offense.sa国际传媒� In 2001, medical marijuana was legalized, and by June 2017, seven out of 10 Canadians were in favour of legalization. And perhaps most recently, a survey conducted in January of 2018 showed at least 23 per cent of Canadians admitted to using cannabis within the previous 12 months.
Yet now that smoking a joint is as legal as smoking a cigarette, or drinking a glass of wine, Sanderssa国际传媒攚hosa国际传媒檚 married with two childrensa国际传媒攕ays shesa国际传媒檚 not noticing much acceptance, which she says is strange, considering how many years itsa国际传媒檚 been somewhat culturally acceptable.
sa国际传媒淭heresa国际传媒檚 still lots of mystery behind (marijuana),sa国际传媒� said Dr. Steven Esau, manager of the Fraser Region Youth Addiction Centre.
sa国际传媒淭he lack of knowledge of whatsa国际传媒檚 behind cannabis and what it does to the human body sa国际传媒� (may be part of) peoplesa国际传媒檚 hesitancy in accepting (it). We donsa国际传媒檛 totally know its magnitude of affect on the development of the brain.sa国际传媒�
But affect the brain it does, as Esau continued on to explain that cannabis is fat-soluble, which allows it to cross the blood-brain barrier.
sa国际传媒淎nd the marijuana we have now is different than what they had in the sa国际传媒�70s. Itsa国际传媒檚 far more potent. So maybe not knowing the full grasp of what it could do to a developing brain (worries people).sa国际传媒�
That may explain why Sanders had a mom pick up her child after a play date, sa国际传媒渁nd we havensa国际传媒檛 seen that kid since,sa国际传媒� she said sadly as she watched her youngest play in the living room.
It wasnsa国际传媒檛 that she had been smoking in front of the children, rather the scent of cannabis was present in her home, but, she says, the smell tends to linger.
sa国际传媒淚 live in the cannabis world: I eat it, smoke it, and rub it on myself sa国际传媒� (almost) 24 hours a day. I smell like it? I always smell like it, so they cansa国际传媒檛 (judge based just) on that. People (seem to) get offended by its strong smellsa国际传媒攅ven if it hasnsa国际传媒檛 been smoked.sa国际传媒�
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Itsa国际传媒檚 like the disdain for marijuana use has been ingrained in our culture and everyone has an opinion on those who use it.
sa国际传媒淏ut an opinion is yours, and free to have, but itsa国际传媒檚 not part of the law,sa国际传媒� said RCMP spokesperson, Mike Rail.
Which is why the Royal Canadian Mounted Police began training in regards to dealing with cannabis prior to legislation being passed this October.
The point is no longer whether or not you agree with the consumption of cannabis, says Rail, itsa国际传媒檚 now about the application and enforcement of our countrysa国际传媒檚 laws, which no longer bans cannabis use for any reason.
sa国际传媒滱nd as the laws change, society (needs to) change and (we) have to do what (we) can to (deal with those changes) sa国际传媒� but there are going to be growing pains in any (situation) like this.
sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 not a matter of just flipping a switch, itsa国际传媒檚 the way wesa国际传媒檙e going as a society,sa国际传媒� continued Rail. sa国际传媒淵ou learn to work within that society, and itsa国际传媒檚 new, but yousa国际传媒檒l learn.sa国际传媒�
And thatsa国际传媒檚 not just for police officers, but members of the public in general: sa国际传媒淲esa国际传媒檙e all the same, so now we evolve (to culturally accept) cannabis,sa国际传媒� added the seasoned officer.
sa国际传媒淲e (also) need to research it,sa国际传媒� said Esau. People need to sa国际传媒渞eally engage in the research to see what the long-term effects are, and (whether legalization) was a good move or not. The more research we do, the more knowledge that could be transferred to the publicsa国际传媒� to possibly assuage the lingering issues they have with the former narcotic.
But Sanders says she isnsa国际传媒檛 so sure that itsa国际传媒檚 that simple for everybody.
sa国际传媒淚 have to say that theresa国际传媒檚 still an underground lifestyle (surrounding cannabis use). I know so many moms who smoke, who get together in groups and smoke while watching their kids sa国际传媒� but guaranteed Isa国际传媒檝e lost friends because Isa国际传媒檓 so open about my (cannabis usage).sa国际传媒�
And while Sanders says she tries her sa国际传媒渂est to be very honest from the beginningsa国际传媒� of any new relationship, especially one involving her children, shesa国际传媒檚 still meeting resistance to her usage of marijuana.
sa国际传媒淪o whatsa国际传媒檚 different, really? Not much except it gives me more power in my chest so if Isa国际传媒檓 somewhere and Isa国际传媒檓 not feeling well, now I can (legally) say, sa国际传媒業sa国际传媒檓 going to smoke a joint,sa国际传媒� but I know people will still stare.sa国际传媒�
And stare they do. Sanders says she does her best to obey all public smoking laws, yet still bears witness to mothers pulling their children down sidewalks away from her, or receives snide comments from people while in public spaces.
sa国际传媒淲hy cansa国际传媒檛 it be accepted like going to have a drink of wine?sa国际传媒� Sanders asked rhetorically. sa国际传媒淧ersonally, Isa国际传媒檇 much rather smoke than drink. Why cansa国际传媒檛 we be like Amsterdam where itsa国际传媒檚 just so accepted and normal with (marijuana) plants growing in public gardens.sa国际传媒�
