Name: Abdullah Popara

Country: Dominion of Canada

Committee: Office of Drugs and Crime (ODC)
Topic: Legalization of Cannabis

CANADA AND THE LEGALIZATION OF CANNABIS

0. Introduction to the committee

0.1 For two decades, the United Nations Office on

Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has been helping
make the world safer from drugs, organized
crime, corruption and terrorism. We are
committed to achieving health, security and
justice for all by tackling these threats and
promoting peace and sustainable well-being as
deterrents to them.

1. Topic Background

1.1 The debate on whether or not depressant drugs should be legalized has been actively happening since
1961. What exactly are depressant drugs? A depressant, is a drug that lowers neurotransmission
levels, which is to depress or reduce stimulation, in various areas of the brain. The use of cannabis
for medicinal and recreational purposes has been legalized in the Dominion of Canada as of October
17 2018. Several rules, prohibitions and penalties have been put into place to control the
consumption, production, advertisement and distribution of cannabis.

2. Past International Actions

2.1 After Canada’s decision to make cannabis legal, the international community of the UN disagreed
with its progressive stance on the topic, but Canada did not plan on changing the resolution or
succumbing to the pressures some UN representatives put on it. Canada is in violation of UN treaties
on drug control as long as the law stands. "The Government of Canada has contributed to weakening
the international legal drug control framework and undermining the rules-based international order,"
says the UN's International Narcotics Control Board (INCB).

3. Country Policy
3.1 The possession and use of cannabis has been prohibited to anyone under the age of 18. An adult
person is allowed to:
 possess up to 30 grams of legal cannabis, dried or equivalent in non-dried form in public
 share up to 30 grams of legal cannabis with other adults
 buy dried or fresh cannabis and cannabis oil from a provincially-licensed retailer
 in provinces and territories without a regulated retail framework, individuals are able to
purchase cannabis online from federally-licensed producers
 grow, from licensed seed or seedlings, up to 4 cannabis plants per residence for personal use
  make cannabis products, such as food and drinks, at home as long as organic solvents are not
used to create concentrated products

3.2 The possession of cannabis has been limited and is thoroughly regulated. An adult is allowed to
possess 150 grams of fresh cannabis which is equal to: 30 grams of dried cannabis, 450 grams of
edible product, 2.1 kilograms of liquid product, 7.5 grams of concentrated product (solid or liquid)
and 30 cannabis plant seeds. Cannabis for medicinal uses does not fall under the aforementioned
regulations, as it is closely regulated by the Ministry of Health and healthcare providers prescribing
the product.
3.3 Protecting the youth has been the most important part of this act. Anyone under the age of 18 is not
allowed to consume or possess cannabis in any amount and providing an underage person with
cannabis is a legal offence with a maximum penalty of 14 years in jail.
3.4 Canada has incorporated the education on cannabis into school curriculums to educate the youth on
it’s effects, uses and laws and to prevent the motivation to consume cannabis if under 18 years of age.
No province within the Dominion of Canada is allowed to lower the minimum age for cannabis
consumption, but is allowed to raise it.
3.5 The production, transportation, packaging and distribution of cannabis is being strongly regulated to
protect public health.
3.6 The goal of this act is to prevent criminal offenses, the evolution of criminal activities involving
cannabis and to protect citizens, while reducing proportionally high arrest rates of Black Canadians
and Indigenous Canadians for possession and consumption of cannabis and aims to reduce racially
motivated, unregulated actions of police officers toward these groups.

4. Possible Solutions and further plans

4.1 Canada’s plan, it’s promises and regulations have been deemed a ‘success story’ by many so there
shouldn’t be much to add to the legislature.
4.2 In 2018, the police recorded 26,402 possession cases until legalization went into effect in mid-
October. In 2019, that number dropped to 46, according to Statistics Canada.
4.3 Canada could serve as a role-model for many members of the UN, seeing how successful this act is.
People have reported they drove under the influence of cannabis proportionally less after the
legalization of cannabis, which proves to be an effective measure to prevent civilian casualties. Even
though the crime rings for production and distribution of marijuana are still active they are slowly
going out of business as citizens can legally buy cannabis throughout the country, stopping the need
to indulge into dangerous, criminal activities. The regulations of owning marijuana plants should be
more severe so a civilian is not allowed to grow any amount of the substance on their property. This
act should only be applied to cannabis and no other depressant, as they can be used with malicious
intent.
4.4 This act should be expanded to other countries in the UN, to improve the countries’ control over
drugs and prevent criminal activities involving cannabis.
4.5 Some members of the UN still haven’t legalized cannabis use for medicinal purposes which should be
a top priority to absolve patients of chronic pain and side effects of chemotherapy. Seeing how
alcohol is legal in most of them, but statistically causes more harm to one’s body and traffic accidents
than cannabis, it should be an obvious decision to legalize cannabis and products containing it for
recreational and medicinal use.
 5. Sources

Article 0.1: https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/about-unodc/index.html

Article 1.1: https://adf.org.au/drug-facts/depressants/
Article 2.1: https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/un-united-nations-canada-marijuana-cannabis-drugs-
1.5400112
Articles 3.1 through 3.6:
https://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/cj-jp/cannabis/#:~:text=Cannabis%20is%20now%20legal.,of%20the
%20pockets%20of%20criminals
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-canadas-legalization-of-cannabis-is-a-success-story-
despite-a-shaky/
Articles 4.1 through 4.5:
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/23/world/canada/marijuana-legalization-promises-made.html