The Wild West: Canada's Legalization of Marijuana

In 1923, after thousands of years of use by humankind, Canada made the hasty decision to enact cannabis prohibition under a cloud of fear stemming from the ban on opium and other drugs. The unfortunate move was a catalyst that led to decades of criminal charges for Canadians who simply wanted to enjoy marijuana as a pastime or as a medicine.

Pot was then subjected to endless propaganda on behalf of domestic and international governments, who believed that it was just as dangerous as heroin, with no medicinal value whatsoever. Since that time, science has suggested that cannabis is an effective medicine and a safer alternative to other social drugs such as alcohol and tobacco.

Although marijuana prohibition was quick, its legalization was a decades-long struggle for empathy and understanding on behalf of those who made the decision to use it. Advocates, activists, patients, sympathetic lawmakers, and anyone else who knew the truth, fought tirelessly with the powers that be to reinstate the plant and bring it back into everyday society.

Canada is arguably the biggest impetus related to the end of cannabis prohibition both domestically and around the world. We were the first country to enact medical marijuana in 2001 and we have just become the first G7 nation to legalize recreational use on the federal level.

On October 19th, join cannabis journalist and author Jon Hiltz in a full-day workshop as he discusses the social, political, financial, and medical impacts of legal cannabis both in Canada and around the world. Take part in the dialogue and help create a framework that re-integrates marijuana back into society with a balanced and enlightened approach.