With mere hours before marijuana becomes legal in Canada, the Canadian government is planning to pardon their citizens that have been charge with minor possession in the past.
Canada’s CTV News stated that if the plan will come through, officials will announce the plan on Wednesday which is when the drug becomes legal in the country. However CTV also mentioned that the pardons won’t be granted immediately when legalization hits at midnight on Tuesday.
With the new legalization laws coming soon, the legal amount that an individual is able to have on them is 30 grams or less. If they were to have more they could still be charged with possession and intent to sell. Those who have been charged in the past with 30 grams or less will receive a pardon however those with more will still have their record.
Simply granting pardons to everyone would elicit poor and unethical behavior with many seeing it as an excuse to get away with it. The new laws are in place to make it safe for those involved while also prosecuting those tied to the black market dealings.
When the laws do go through it will put pressure on other nations that convict mere children for a small amount of the substance. If other countries do intend to adopt this form of legalization they should also seek to pardon any citizens with previous convictions.
