Ticketing for Small Amounts of Marijuana in Canada

The Conservative government is considering making legal changes the allow police to, instead of laying charges, issue ticket to those caught with tiny amounts of marijuana. However, these legal changes should not be interpreted as either a legalization or decriminalization of marijuana. Rather they should be interpreted as additional enforcement measures that, should they need them, are available to police officers. Likewise, there is good reason to believe that this novel ‘ticketing system’ would only apply to simple possession of 30 grams or less of marijuana. Additionally, these tickets would function similarly to those administered for speeding, outlining a fine or presenting a court option, also people who decide to go with the court option have the ability to represent themselves or have legal counsel. However, even if the government appears to be softening up when it comes to the legalities surrounding marijuana possession, it had not long ago passed legislation that toughened laws regarding marijuana possession with the purpose of trafficking, such as in the case of the 2012 Safe Streets and Communities Act. Furthermore, some, like the NORML Women’s Alliance of Canada, say that the purposed ‘ticketing system’ does not go far enough and is only â€Å"a halfway measure.† There are two legal issues related to this news article. Should the federal government simply decriminalize marijuana and does the current criminalization of marijuana hold any basis in ensuring public