OTTAWA - When Robert was 18, he was arrested by Montreal's police for possession of a small amount of hashish, an event that would upend his young life. The charge brought him 30 days in jail, and the conviction ended his part-time job as a translator. "Back then, you smoke a joint, you would get arrested," said Robert, who asked that only his first name be used because of the continuing stigma of his criminal record. "Then the cops would put you in a car, then pull over and give you a couple of shots in the head. You get slapped around just because of smoking." [continues 1936 words]
CHESTERVILLE, Ontario - Inside garage-sized containers at one end of a cavernous warehouse in a former Nestle factory south of Ottawa are rows of marijuana plants stacked atop each other, basking in the unearthly glow of grow lights. They belong to Hamed Asi, an Ontario businessman who calls them his "vertical farm." He has no background in growing marijuana, or in any kind of agriculture. His other line of business is installing office furniture; cubicles, filing cabinets and desk chairs fill the opposite end of the warehouse. [continues 1065 words]
TIVERTON, Ontario - Behind a forbidding high-security fence topped with razor wire, Supreme Pharmaceuticals is busy preparing for the legal marijuana trade, with workers expanding a greenhouse complex where the lucrative crop grows. But while Supreme looks like it will be ready for the day when prohibition ends, Canada's governments still have a lot of work to do. Proposing legislation to legalize the recreational use of marijuana was the easy part for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. With about eight months to go before Canada becomes the second nation after Uruguay to take this step, the federal government and the provinces are staring at a formidable to-do list. [continues 1220 words]
OTTAWA - Fulfilling a campaign pledge, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau introduced legislation on Thursday to legalize the recreational use of marijuana in Canada. Many nations have either decriminalized marijuana, allowed it to be prescribed medically or effectively stopped enforcing laws against it. But when Mr. Trudeau's bill passes as expected, Canada will become only the second nation, after Uruguay, to completely legalize marijuana as a consumer product. "Criminal prohibition has failed to protect our kids and our communities," said Bill Blair, a lawmaker and former Toronto police chief whom Mr. Trudeau appointed to manage the legislation. [continues 1434 words]
MONTREAL - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has promised to legalize the recreational use of marijuana, but that doesn't mean Canada will turn into a giant, smoke-filled set for a Cheech and Chong movie. If Mr. Trudeau adopts the recommendations of a panel he appointed, marijuana's move from the black market to the open market will be highly bureaucratic, heavily taxed and tightly controlled, with advertising and promotion virtually banned. "The government doesn't want to have a country consuming marijuana," said Bruce Linton, the chairman and chief executive of Canopy Growth, which owns Tweed, one of 36 companies currently allowed to grow and sell medical marijuana. "They want a system for those who choose to consume it." [continues 603 words]
OTTAWA - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has not yet fulfilled his promise to legalize marijuana in Canada, but the country's Federal Court ruled Wednesday that prescription holders could grow their own supply. The decision is the latest in a series of court rulings on the issue, including decisions by the Supreme Court of Canada, that found that denying medical access to marijuana violated the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The ruling adds to confusion about the legal status of marijuana, partly created by the lack of detail surrounding the Liberal government's plan. Twenty-nine companies, many well funded, were licensed by the previous Conservative government to grow and sell medical marijuana, but they may now face financial pressure. [continues 256 words]
Hershey stopped producing chocolate in Smiths Falls, Ontario, six years ago. The work went to Mexico, but the factory remains, along with reminders of the glory days: A sign that once directed school buses delivering children for tours. A fading, theme-park-style entrance that marks what used to be the big attraction - a "Chocolate Shoppe" that sold about $4 million of broken candy and bulk bars a year. The once ever-present sweet smell of chocolate is gone, too. In the high-ceilinged warehouse, where stacks of Hershey's bars and Reese's Peanut Butter Cups once awaited shipment, the nose now picks up a different odor: the woody, herbal aroma of 50,000 marijuana plants. [continues 2649 words]
Republicans may be apprehensive about what kind of reception they will receive when they arrive in New York next week for their national convention, but one unlikely group -- the Drug Policy Alliance -- has decided to greet them with open arms. The alliance, which supports, among other things, easing laws involving marijuana and other drugs, has been raising money to take out advertisements in The New York Sun to welcome the Republican delegates for the four-day convention. "I think there were a few people who were a little weirded out that we were making this kind of pitch and welcoming the Republicans," said Ethan Nadelmann, the group's executive director. "But there are many other people who think we 'll get a major breakthrough on drugs by a 'Nixon goes to China' initiative from a Republican." [continues 137 words]
Scandal sends French cycle classic into a spin Canadian cycling great Steve Bauer knew something was up when he suddenly found himself unable to keep up with some of his European competitors. Riders with previously mediocre careers suddenly became contenders, competing with flair and E9lan in some of the world's greatest feats of cycling endurance, including the global classic, the Tour de France. When asked by reporters what brought about the transformation they would cite special ``preparation'' or a weight training program developed by their physician. [continues 1615 words]
