Canada going to Pot?

In the long run-up to the next election, the Liberal leadership comes out in favor of legalization/taxation.
The stance harmonizes with the majority of the electorate, but is it a winning stance? How would the policy mesh/conflict with any prior commitments in the War on Drugs?

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/stor...-strategy.html

I think the stance is nice but not important. Noise for the machine, it gets air-time and free publicity for a 3rd place party. Might we dream of legal weed in Canada?
After all, the recommendation to decriminalize is almost 40years old, so legal pot in Canada by 2112?

Potheads are losers.

Fact.

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Originally Posted by HopAlongBunny

In the long run-up to the next election, the Liberal leadership comes out in favor of legalization/taxation.
The stance harmonizes with the majority of the electorate, but is it a winning stance? How would the policy mesh/conflict with any prior commitments in the War on Drugs?

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/stor...-strategy.html

I think the stance is nice but not important. Noise for the machine, it gets air-time and free publicity for a 3rd place party. Might we dream of legal weed in Canada?
After all, the recommendation to decriminalize is almost 40years old, so legal pot in Canada by 2112?

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Yes it is naked voted buying by Trudeau, courting the hard left vote and all. However two US states have made it legal. And you'll note this comes after such legalizations. I've long suspected our continued prohibition of weed was based more on foreign relations real politic (IE the useless war on drugs) than sound domestic policy.

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Originally Posted by HoreTore

Potheads are losers.

Fact.

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Doing just fine really

Good idea for Canada at least

I agree with lars573 so far as it designed to make headlines.
Will have to see if Trudeau can offer anything new/exciting as far as economic policy.
Pot is not an election winner, though with the right policy mix it could nudge a good segment of the electorate.

*Puts away tea party paraphernalia* (A real tea party-mushroom tea, weed/hash delicacies; not those American pretenders)

How illegal is it in Canada? Here in the States it's lumped in with angel dust and smack and users face harsh penalties, but I can't imagine Canadian jails are currently overflowing with potheads.

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Originally Posted by drone

How illegal is it in Canada? Here in the States it's lumped in with angel dust and smack and users face harsh penalties, but I can't imagine Canadian jails are currently overflowing with potheads.

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Might get boring by now but I don't see the need to legalise it. Especially in the south it willbe much bette to stop bullying teenagers and do something usefull

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Originally Posted by drone

How illegal is it in Canada? Here in the States it's lumped in with angel dust and smack and users face harsh penalties, but I can't imagine Canadian jails are currently overflowing with potheads.

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Controlled Drugs and Substances Act
Pot is schedule II (of six) and the only thing there. And both Possession or trafficking carrying maximum of 5 years in prison. Exportation carries a maximum of life in prison. Production a maximum of 7 years. You'll note there's no minimum. And Canada has no human rights violating 3 strike rules.

It is interesting.
With the overall crime-rate at an all time low, the present government is beating the drum and targeting drugs. Cannabis users of course bear the brunt of it.
Good article:

http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/06/10/w...ize-marijuana/

Haven't read it, but do they mention the 6 billion loss per state oer year for those who are into the trade

I have no idea about the particulars.
I do interpret the War on Drugs as a direct subsidy to organized crime.

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Originally Posted by HopAlongBunny

I have no idea about the particulars.
I do interpret the War on Drugs as a direct subsidy to organized crime.

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It's the avarage amount of money per (southern) state crime cartels would lose, 6 billion dollars, I doubt that won't get really nasty. Canada doesn't have that problem though