Canada’s frontline officers and police
chiefs are alarmed by the growing chaos in the marijuana industry,
saying the Liberal Party’s promise to eventually legalize the drug has
sparked confusion across the country.
Illegal
pot dispensaries are opening up from coast to coast at the same time as
some users feel they should no longer be subject to the Criminal Code,
prompting law-enforcement officials to urge the Trudeau government to
remind Canadians that marijuana remains an illegal drug.
The dispensaries are ostensibly set up to
distribute medical marijuana, but many are believed to also sell
cannabis for recreational use with the flimsiest medical evidence or
documentation. The licensed producers of medical marijuana have
responded by launching a lobbying campaign to persuade the government to
shut down the dispensaries. At the same time, these legal producers of
medical marijuana are vying to be the first in line to legally produce
marijuana for recreational use.
“The
discussion [surrounding legalization] that is occurring is causing a lot
of confusion, even from an enforcement perspective,” said Tom
Stamatakis, president of the Canadian Police Association, which
represents 52,000 frontline police officers across the country.
“On
the street, you have citizens who are convinced or have allowed
themselves to be convinced that marijuana is now legal and it’s okay to
not only use it, but to manufacture and sell it.” In many ways, he said,
tobacco and alcohol are now more regulated and face tougher
restrictions than cannabis, as some pot stores openly advertise their
products and sell to minors.
In the
past election, the Liberals promised to legalize marijuana for
recreational purposes, but the legal changes are months away as
consultations with the provinces and other groups have yet to start.
“Now
that the Liberals are in government, and this is an agenda that they
have, there does need to be some action and messaging from them as they
work toward developing the statutory framework and the ensuing
regulations [for legalization],” Mr. Stamatakis said in an interview.
Saskatoon
police chief Clive Weighill, who presides over the Canadian Association
of Chiefs of Police, agreed the government needs to deal with the
uncertainty created by its promise. He said police forces have cracked
down on dispensaries in cities from Halifax to Nanaimo, but that the
government also needs to speak out.
“The
police have taken the enforcement action that we have up to date. I
think it would certainly help if the government would come forth and
advise people that the legislation isn’t in place yet and that the laws
will be enforced until it is,” he said in an interview.
In
a statement, Liberal MP Bill Blair said the government will not be
rushed as it moves to “legalize, strictly regulate and restrict access
to marijuana in a careful and orderly way.”
“We will take the time that is necessary to get this right,’ said the government’s point man on the file.
In the meantime, however, he said all current laws will apply and need to be enforced.
“Until
Parliament has enacted new legislation and new rules are in place to
ensure that marijuana is carefully regulated, current laws remain in
force and should be obeyed,” said Mr. Blair, parliamentary secretary to
the minister of justice.
Mr. Stamatakis
has had private discussions on the issue of legalization with Prime
Minister Justin Trudeau and Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale. He
said he is convinced that once the drug is legalized, it will be tightly
restricted.
“My first impression is
that we will end up with a similar legislation and regulatory framework
to what we have for alcohol and tobacco, which, from a law-enforcement
perspective, is the direction we should go in,” he said.
In
the meantime, however, different jurisdictions are tackling the matter
differently. In Vancouver, the city is moving toward a system to license
a number of marijuana dispensaries. At the same time, Saskatoon has
recently busted a similar establishment.
“We
have an obligation to enforce the Criminal Code of Canada, but you have
different levels of government, especially at the municipal level, who
are taking a different approach,” he said. “It is a tough challenge.”
Both
Mr. Stamatakis and Mr. Weighill said a key issue, as Canada moves
toward a legalized marijuana market, will be finding ways to enforce
laws against impaired driving.
“We
would be looking for legislation around impaired driving for marijuana,
possibly a recognized instrument to measure the levels of THC, like we
can with alcohol,” Mr. Weighill said.
He added he will also seek legislation to ensure that “anyone who is selling it to youth will be prosecuted.”
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