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Clarifying pot laws in Canada
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I always laugh when people think weed has been decriminalized or is even legal in Canada. So just to clarify Canadian pot laws...
Possession of Substance (Sec.4 of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, Criminal Code of Canada)
1. Possession of marijuana is a criminal offence.
2. Pot is considered a Schedule II drug. It is divided into: under 30grams, over 30grams.
3. Possession is a hybrid offence, which means the Crown will chose if they will proceed with an indictable charge or a summary conviction charge. If you have over 30g it is an indictable offence (which means you go to federal prison) and you can get up to 5 years less a day, OR it will be a summary conviction (provincial jail). First offence under summary conviction offence you're looking at a fine of up to $1000 and/or up to 6 months in jail. If it is your 2nd, 3rd...etc. offence you're looking at a fine of up to $2000 and/or up to a year in jail.
4. If you have under 30g of pot, it will be a summary conviction offence. Punishment is a fine of up to $1000 and/or 6 months in jail.
Chances are most police officers will not want to do the paper work for a little weed, but there are always a few keeners fresh out of police college that want to bust everyone.
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oh well looks like in cancleing my plans for the weekend
do they do sting ops at all
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yeah the deal is, most cops dont give a shit about it unless you arte cleartly out in the open and not giving a shit.
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decriminalization is being seriously considered though.......
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To also clarify, decriminalization doesn't mean pot becomes legal. It just will mean that people who are caught with a small amount of weed will not end up with a criminal record. Right now, few people go to jail on pot charges, but they still end up with a criminal record which we all know can screw someone over. If you have a criminal record you aren't generally allowed into other countries (especially the US), may not get a job you want...etc...
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^ seriously, the chances of getting a criminal record for smoking a little weed in Canada is low, REALLY low. The fact that they are also considering decriminalizing it, decreases your chances of the cops going thru all the hassle just because you have a few grams on you.
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^Each year approximately 30,000 Canadians receive a criminal record for smoking a little weed.
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According to a friend of mine who works for the police, under 30 grams and it doesn't go on criminal record. At least thats what they do hear in Grande Prairie anyhow.
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^thats all true, but also in most parts of the country if you get caught red-handed smoking a joint, if its out of the way you will likely get a warning, in the open you mght get a fine. it depends on the cop. but ive smoked fattys walking around busy downtown streets at lunchtime in mntl, and i smell it often at lunch, office workers like their bud.
and i know people whove been busted for shit and cops have found about a gram on them, and they got in no shit a all.
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It is a CRIMINAL OFFENCE under the Criminal Code of Canada, whether under 30g's or over. If you get caught, and the cop wants to do something about it, you will have to go to court. Even if you only end up with a fine, you will still receive a CRIMINAL RECORD.
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...just trying to clarify all the misconcptions people have.
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canada only has 3 million people, you're saying 1 in 100 people gets a criminal record from pot each year? After 10 years, 1 in 10 people will have a criminal record for marijauna?
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you mean 30,000,000. so that would be 1 in 1000 each year.
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haha 3 million....Toronto has more then that...yes you mean 30 million!
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i definetly meant 30 million
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yes, but health canada grants access to medicinal marijuana for people suffering from "grave and debilitating illnesses." none of that in the states. Canada obviously has some laws on use and distribution or whatnot, but what most people are saying is that Canada as a whole is more liberal in its views on marijuana than the US.
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huh. can't wait to tell my friends they will be so bumed
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Another interesting point...if you have weed on you, and pass it off to a friend to safeguard, you could be charged with trafficking (up to life imprisonment over 3g).
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it's called discretion. cops use it to decide if they should cite someone, what happens mostly depends on who busts you.
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^for sure...no where does it say a peace officer (police included) MUST charge...the wording is MAY charge. But you never know what kind of night the cop who busts you could be having, or his/her history...etc.
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why dont they just make weed legal i mean damn its not like its hard to get it or smoke it, so damn make it legal!!!!
peace
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this is a fun thread...girl_jibBer, are you going to be that keener cop straight outta the police academy??? hahaha
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i checked the records there are 4 people in the uniteds states who are issued pot from the federal government. one of them was on TV a while ago
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Apparently the first attempt to decriminalize pot was cancelled to please the U.S.Americans. Anybody actually know what happened?
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wow never knew it was that bad
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I think it's still on the plate, but it hasn't received much press lately because it's not high priority. If Liberals get a majority after the next election, i think it will go through.
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if a US citizen went to canada and say smoked some pot do the laws apply to them?
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^well think about it if you killed someone, or stole something in canada, would the law still apply? of course it would, you meat head
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dumbass i was talking about if the us and canada law applied
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i would be willing to bet that if they found out that you were american, they may actually use the law.
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^I'd probably agree with you on that. And ya, if you are American in Canada you have to follow Canadian laws. Since you are American, if a cop decided to charge you for possession, you wouldn't just receive a promise to appear and be on your way. You'd be going back to the station and paying a little recognizance fee to make sure you come back to answer to the charges.
Anyway...Matt, ask my your question again next year...
As for my position...I don't really care. I used to smoke, don't anymore...end of story.
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Was it not decriminalized for like a month or somthing? maybe i am just crazy and have too many pothead friends? quite possible.
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As for the decriminalization of weed...I sat in on a debate last spring regarding the decriminalization and possible legalization of marijuana. Present were a number of people who are directly involved in either trying to get pot decriminalized and others who are directly involved in trying to stop it. What I took from that meeting is that they are no closer to decriminalizing pot now then they were 5 years ago. They have the information...but the government doesn't want to be responsible for this decision. Basically, there is a lot at stake for them...mainly pressure from the US, who threatens to close the borders if weed is decriminalized. There were other issues that is stopping this from going forward (but they have slipped my mind) The only way the law will change is if the courts begin making decisions to favour decriminalization. It's kinda like when Ontario changed the drinking age to 19. The government didn't want to deal with it, so they let the courts make the decisions...same thing with same sex marriage..etc....eventually there was enough case law to contradict certain aspects of law, so it changed.
As for legalization...basically the talk on that was quashed. Sounded like they weren't even considering it.
Anyway...my two cents.
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HAHAHAHA...meat head....oh man
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hahaha... yeah... wonder if that sorta meat taste good. ahaha
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I blaze with the constable at my school
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ya its illegal but cops wanna get the dealers not the smokers right?
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they dont really care who they get.
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