MARIJUANA
DECRIMINALIZATION OR LEGALIZATION?
What’s the difference? Possession of marijuana is currently a criminal offence which means if you’re convicted of this offence you will have a criminal record for drug possession. If possession of marijuana is decriminalized it will remain an offence but will be moved from a criminal offence to a regulatory offence. Possession will continue to be illegal, but not criminal. The existing black market of growth and distribution will remain. There will continue to be residential grow ops. You will continue to buy your weed from your local dealer/friend. If however, possession of marijuana is legalized it will no longer be an offence. The government will step in and regulate the industry probably by issuing licenses to grow and/or distribute. You will be able to go to a store and select from a variety of strains. There will probably be an excise tax added which you will have to pay together with HST. Although you will be able to possesses it legally there will probably be strict regulations restricting where you can consume the product.