Pubdate: Fri, 21 Apr 2017
Source: Medicine Hat News (CN AB)
Copyright: 2017 Alberta Newspaper Group, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.medicinehatnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1833
Author: Mo Cranker
Page: A1

HATTERS GATHER TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT THE LEGALIZATION OF CANNABIS

A few dozen Hatters gathered in front of city hall Thursday to light
up a joint and raise awareness of the proposed legalization of
cannabis in Canada.

The group met downtown at 3 p.m. and talked to anyone interested
before lighting up some joints at 4:20 p.m. and marching to the
provincial building. Armed with signs, pamphlets and pins, the group's
main goal was to raise awareness and, more importantly, spread
education on the topic of the proposed legalization, said group
spokesperson Caelan Walton.

"The government coming out and proposing the legalization of cannabis
is just the first step of many that needs to take place in this
process," he said. "Our group of people here today are for the medical
and recreation use of cannabis, but we want the government to take a
look at the proposed legalization and to clarify things and to rewrite
other things."

One of the parts of the proposed legalization Walton says he has a
problem with is the length of the penalty for giving a minor marijuana.

"The penalty being proposed for giving a minor marijuana is up to 14
years in prison," he said. "Comparative to that, for alcohol and
tobacco, it's a fine and a slap on the wrist and an establishment can
lose a licence - I don't think children should be using cannabis in
the slightest, but I think these laws need to be more in line with
alcohol and tobacco laws."

Walton says he thinks the proposed legalization could use another read
over or two from people who use cannabis on a day-to-day basis.

"I think it's pretty clear that the people writing these laws don't
understand how cannabis really works," he said. "You can be punished
for up to five years in prison for the public possession of a budding
and flowering cannabis plant - does that mean taking a plant for a
walk? Or does it mean growing cannabis in an unfenced yard? Just
overall, some parts are poorly written."

Another thing Walton says he would like to see is the eradication of
past cannabis convictions from when the substance was illegal.

"Once cannabis is legalized, I think all past convictions should be
looked at again," he said. "People who use cannabis want to see it
legalized mostly to free up the police from having to deal with it at
all, and getting them looking at bigger, more important problems."
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MAP posted-by: Matt