Health Protection Branch

Part 1 General Introduction...........................................................................

Part 2 The Global Objectives

Part 3 The Empirical Bases of Cannabis Control Policy

1. Empirical Evidence Regarding Cannabis Use............................................................ 3

Health Concerns.............................................................................................. . 3

Safety Concerns................................................................................................ 8

The Cannabis Market........................................................................................ 10

Extent of Use.................................................................................................... 12

Patterns of Use.................................................................................................. 14

2. Empirical Evidence Relating to the Current Legislative Response to Cannabis...........16

Special Powers of Arrest, Search and Seizure in Drug Enforcement................... 16

The Processing of a Cannabis Suspect through the Criminal Justice System........ 18

Police.......................................................................................................... 18

Crown Prosecutors...................................................................................... 21

Judges......................................................................................................... 22

The Processing of Information Concerning a Cannabis Suspect......................... . 22

Discharges................................................................................................. . 24

Pardons....................................................................................................... 24

Problems Inherent in Drug Enforcement: Irregular Methods of Enforcement........ 26

A Statistical Review of Arrest, Conviction and Sentencing Patterns..................... 26

Arrest statistics............................................................................................ 26

Conviction statistics..................................................................................... 26

Sentencing statistics..................................................................................... 27

The Financial Cost of Cannabis Enforcement..................................................... 29

The Sociolegal Consequences of Enforcement................................................... 30

Public and Professional Attitudes....................................................................... 33

Part 4 Legal Issues and Options.................................................................. 34

3. Introduction.............................................................................................................34
4. Factors to be Considered in Framing a Legislative Response....................................35

Normative and Design Concerns........................................................................ 35

International Considerations............................................................................... 37

Constitutional Considerations............................................................................. 38

Jurisdiction................................................................................................... 39

Non-criminal, or "civil," offences.................................................................. 40

Criminal records.......................................................................................... 40

Defining Offences............................................................................................... 41

Importation.................................................................................................. 42

Constructive trafficking................................................................................. 43

Functional equivalence................................................................................. 46

 

Contents (continued) Page

5. The Legislative Options..........................................................................................47

An Ordering of Terms and Concepts................................................................ 47

The Cannabis Control Options: A Description.................................................. 48

(1) Prohibition........................................................................................... 49

(2) Bill S-19............................................................................................... 50

(3) 83-77RD.............................................................................................. 51

(4) Full "deeming provisions"...................................................................... 51

(5) Semi-Prohibition................................................................................... 52

(6) Transfer to Schedule G......................................................................... 54

(7) Legalization (regulation)........................................................................ 55

(8) Federal Withdrawal.............................................................................. 56

The Cannabis Control Options: An Analysis...................................................... 56

Notes.................................................................................................................... 59

 

Appendices

Appendix A: The Single Convention and Its Implications for Canadian Cannabis Policy................................................... 60

The penal obligations: Article 36 and the meaning of "possession"................. 61

"Possession" and other consumption-related conduct................................... 63

Article 36 and the 1972 Protocol................................................................ 63

"Possession" and the confiscatory obligation................................................ 64

Amendment and withdrawal........................................................................ 65

Summary.................................................................................................... 65

Appendix B: The Constitutional Bases of Cannabis Policy................. 66

1. Introduction............................................................................................................66
2. A Brief Introduction to Basic Principles of Canadian Constitutional Law..................66
3. Federal and Provincial Bases for Cannabis Control..................................................68

Federal Jurisdiction............................................................................................ 68

Provincial Jurisdiction........................................................................................ 71

The Doctrine of Paramountcy and Concurrency................................................. 73

Joint Federal-Provincial Control of Cannabis..................................................... 76

4. Specific Constitutional Issues Related to Federal Cannabis Legislation.....................76

Parliament’s Power to Create Non-Criminal Offences....................................... 76

Parliament’s Power to Control Criminal Records in the Possession of

Provincial Enforcement Agencies....................................................................... 77

Parliament’s Power to Authorize Confiscation of Cannabis in the Absence

of a Possessional Offence.................................................................................. 78

Notes to Appendix B.............................................................................................. 81

 

Contents (continued) Page

Appendix C: The Narcotic Control Act – An Elaboration.................... 87

Appendix D: Extent and Patterns of Cannabis Use Among Adult Canadians, 1970-1978.......................................................... 90

Appendix E: Offences, Procedures and Maximum Penalties Under Eight Alternative Models for the Control of Cannabis............................................................................. 95

References and Selected Bibliography....................................................... 99

 

Figures and Tables

Figure 1. Police Duties Relating to Processing a Routine Cannabis Case............... 20

Figure 2. "Buffer Zone" Model............................................................................ 44

Table D-1. Adult Canadians – Incidence of Cannabis Use....................................... 91

Table D-2. Adult Canadians – Current Cannabis Use Patterns, (Gallup 1978)......... 92

Table D-3. Adult Canadians – Frequency of Cannabis Use..................................... 93

Table D-4. Adult Canadians – Cannabis Use by Region (Gallup, 1978)................... 94

Table E-1. Offences, Procedures and Maximum Penalties under the Narcotic

Control Act, Bill S-19 and 83-77RD..................................................... 96

Table E-2. Offences, Procedures and Maximum Penalties under "Full 'Deeming

Provisions'" and "Semi-Prohibition"........................................................ 97

Table E-3. Offences, Procedures and Maximum Penalties under "Transfer to

Schedule G," "Regulation" and "Federal Withdrawal".............................. 98