Powerful By Nature - Weed Legalization & Criminalization

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Date:  May 13th, 2019
Hosts:  Shuhita & Nicole


Guests: Caryma Sa'd, Criminal Lawyer

Topic: Weed Legalization & Criminalization

On May 13th, we decided to talk about weed legalization and criminalization. Recreational cannabis was legalized on October 17, 2018 in Canada however, it was not decriminalized. For example, it is illegal to possess more than 30 grams of dried cannabis, to grow more than 4 plants per residence, and it remains illegal to sell cannabis. 

An estimated 500,000 Canadians already have a criminal record for possessing this now-legal drug. Although the federal government has said they will pardon Canadians with a record for simple pot possession, how accessible and just that process will be remains questionable. Charges for marijuana possession have disproportionality effected racialized communities, especially black and Indigenous people, and black and Indigenous people are given longer criminal sentences for cannabis related offenses. For example, a 2017 Toronto Star analysis found that black people in that city with no criminal record were three times more likely to be arrested for marijuana possession than their white peers. We brought in Caryma Sa'd, a criminal lawyer who is devoted to defending civil liberties especially related to drug offenses to talk to us about weed legalization, criminalization and racism and the pardon process. We finished the show with a discussion with youth about their experiences with marijuana and their thoughts of weed legalization and criminalization. Listen here: https://www.regentparkfocus.com/radio/media/jessies/2019-05-13.mp3 _________________________         


To learn more about Jessie’s Centre and/or the Community Education Program, please visit: www.jessiescentre.org.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @PowerfulXNature
To connect with Carmya Sa'd find her on Twitter @CarymaRules or on her website: http://sadvocacy.com/

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