Why Trudeau Should Not Legalize Marijuana Analysis

Why Trudeau Should Not Legalize Cannabis

Introduction
In Canada, approximately 47,000 deaths that are related to substance abuse occur each year (Teen Challenge). Drug addiction is an immensely growing issue in our society, especially among our youth. Over the past few decades, the youth drug rates have decreased, but with the impending legalization of marijuana, the future leads to increasing rates. The Trudeau government has passed a bill to legalized marijuana in the early summer of 2018. Many people state that marijuana is not a drug, simply because it is not a “hard” drug. The risks of marijuana are like any drug, it will effect your mind, body and behaviour.
CEEPS Analysis
Over the course of the semester, CEEPS has been used and discussed several times. Legalizing marijuana falls into many of these categories, with different effects on each. The Canadian economy will be greatly affected if marijuana is in fact legalized. Legalizing marijuana will affect the economy, but in a extremely miniscule way. Both Canada’s federal and provincial government is supposed to see 5 billion dollars in tax revenues from marijuana (CIBC World Markets). This $5 billion did not include the “enormous undertaking of building the necessary framework to support legalization”
(Globe and Mail). Canada has to input marketing regulations, sales, transportation and its production. All provinces and territories will have a different systems due to their specific needs. Marijuana has a wide range of tolerance for each individual, and a roadside test is essential to continue to keep our roads safe. The 5 billion dollars is about 0.25 per cent of Canada’s GDP (Globe and Mail). The little money that Canada is going to see certainly will not save our whopping $1.3 trillion debt.

Politically, it seems as Canada will be the first of the G7 to legalize the drug. The date promised by the Trudeau government was Canada day of 2018, but Conservative members of the Senate do not agree that Bills C-45 and C-46 have enough when it comes to drug testings, taxes, and police training (The Star). The Senate has been debating since late December of 2017, but it may take months to come to decisions about the two cannabis bills.
Stakeholders
Legalizing cannabis will affect Canada as an entire population. Making each of us a stakeholder.
There are certain groups of people who will be more involved with the legalization of cannabis. The federal government has the biggest impact on where cannabis will be legal this summer or not. Deciding whether or not to legalize a drug will take a great deal of time. Each provincial government has the responsibility to set laws according to their needs. This includes age restrictions, traffic laws and more. Store owners and organizations that will be selling the drug have a lot to discuss. A gram of weed ranges to about $10 on the street, when legalized the government and stores will have to agree of proper pricing and taxes. This CBC provided graph estimates the declining price of illicit cannabis sales. Another primary stakeholder of marijuana legalization is medical patients. Many patients are prescribed cannabis to help with pain, usually for cancer patients. It can also help with anxiety, depression, HIV, and etc. Medical dispensaries are all over Toronto, giving easy access to those with a medical card prescribed by doctor or physician.
Secondary stakeholders are important, but do not hold much direct interest. For example, these people are non-weed smokers, the people that are not directly impacted from the impending legalization. Non-cannabis smokers will not be affected much in the summer of 2018.
Lessons from the Prohibition After World War 1, both the US and Canada entered prohibition. The noble experiment was set in motion to reduce crime, solve social problems and reduce the tax burden. The Liberal government has made clear the main reason to legalize cannabis is to reduce organized crime. If history repeats itself, this will only fail. The prohibition caused corruption and violence all over the country. After the short 2 years, many left the illicit trade. Many saw the illegal criminal activity as “a public service” writes Daniel Francis (Global News). When alcohol finally became legal, it was not easy to get. Products were not displayed, customers had to fill out forms, line up and give a passport like book to a clerk. The black market numbers shrunk after legalizing alcohol, will the same happen with cannabis?
Youth in Canada & Drug Abuse Although illegal, many kids still have access to marijuana. 23% of Ontarian students reported they have been offered, sold or given a drug (Teen Challenge). Cannabis is the most commonly used illicit drug in Canada. Brains are not fully developed until 25 years of age, 30% of Canadian cannabis users are under 25. The health risk are different for anyone and range from your mind to body. A great number of people do not think cannabis has any effect on your body. During intoxication, you can suffer from;
Short term memory loss
Impaired attentions
Increased heart rate
Some suffer from persistent effects such as impaired learning and coordination and sleep problems. If marijuana is used for a long time, effects become worse and harder to “fix”. Such as; (National Institute on Drug Abuse)
Addiction
Loss of IQ
Bronchitis
Increased risk of other drug & alcohol abuse
Alternative Views Trudeau’s government is discussing a bill to legalize cannabis, and there are many reasons why they want to;
The government will regulate productions, distribution and sales.
Cannabis would collect taxes off its sales.
Legalizing cannabis will take away from criminals and organized crime.
It will become harder for kids to get the drug.
Regulate safe, unlaced cannabis.
Legalizing cannabis will also make it easier for medical patients to get medical marijuana.
Solutions
In order to keep drug abuse and addiction rates down, marijuana needs to be regulated.
If anyone over the age of 18 can walk into a store down the street and buy marijuana, the rates will increase a lot. Organized crime will not lose profit because of all the other drugs illicitly sold in Canada. Due to the high production of meth in Canada, there has been an increase of crime if the drug is involved (Canadian Centre for Addictions).Other popular drugs in Canada are LSD, cocaine and prescriptions. 60% of teens who are victims of drug abuse already get their drugs from friends or family (Canadian Addiction Rehab), which will not change when the government makes the legal age to buy cannabis 18 or
older. Opening up more drug rehabilitation or addiction centres will help keep the population from abusing drugs as much as it is done already. Teaching younger and future generations to stay away from drugs, and how to get help if they do use them.
Conclusion
Drug abuse will always be a problem because of two reasons.
Peer pressure - kids will always be telling their friends to try something new. Whether it is legal or illegal, your friends will be there telling you what to try.
In the year 2018, almost everyone has a life that revolves around the media. Advertisements, phones, TV or movies. Constantly seeing what is illegal right in front of us. Celebrities getting addicted to drugs, while kids are looking up to them and watching their shows and movies or listening to their music. Social media is a big influencer in the lives of the younger generations, it is their lives.
Over the past decade, we have seen drug abuse become a bigger problem than before, especially among our youth. In the past 40 years, drug rates have decreased, but when cannabis is legalized, that will all change.
There is only one question left, do you want you kids to be able to walk around the corner and legally buy this “soft” drug?