Marijuana legalization has long been an issue in Canada. In the campaign leading up to the federal elections on Oct. 19, candidates have been airing their opinion on the matter.
Liberal Party candidate Justin Trudeau promises to legalize marijuana as soon as he gets elected, while NDP candidate Tom Mulcair is pushing to decriminalize it.
Marijuana or cannabis is legal to possess, consume or grow for medicinal purposes under conditions implemented by the Marihuana for Medical Purposes Regulations issued by Health Canada.
The Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, however, includes cannabis among restricted drugs under Schedule II wherein illegal possession would entail five years of imprisonment.
Elisabeth Baerg Hall, a psychiatrist and professor at the University of British Columbia pointed out that legalizing and regulating marijuana could open the debate and prompt better information dissemination about its "dangers." This is because health practitioners and teachers would be able to treat the subject the way they discuss the effects of tobacco and alcohol.
"The reality now is I have many, many patients in my young adult population who are self-medicating with pot," she stated.
Since it is illegal for teachers and health practitioners to recommend marijuana to users, there is no definite gauge of what is recommended or abused.
Health Canada, however, maintains its stand that this substance has many negative effects. In fact, the federal department spent millions of dollars on the campaign against the legalization of marijuana due to its supposed drastic effects on the I.Q. of teenagers.
The Conservative Party is also against the legalization of "pot," based on an email sent by party spokesman Stephen Lecce.
"Protecting kids from the very real mental health risks of marijuana such as psychosis and even schizophrenia are paramount for our Conservative government," Lecce said.
In an online debate site, the question, "Should Canada legalize marijuana?" was raised, and 84 percent of voters said yes. Most opinions focused on the health benefits of marijuana for specific illnesses.
The medicinal advantages of cannabis can be traced back to ancient times, and studies have established a wealth of knowledge on the therapeutic uses and effects of this substance. Most of the health benefits known today are based on hard science.
Marijuana has many medicinal properties. It aids in the treatment of glaucoma; reverses the carcinogenic effects of tobacco; controls epileptic seizures; decreases symptoms of a severe seizure disorder called Dravet's Syndrome; reduces cancer spread; decreases anxiety; and slows down the progression of dementia among others.
