I started receiving text messages from some of my friends in Scotland before I even got out of bed yesterday morning.
And they all basically wanted to know the same two things:
Was Canada really legalizing weed, and if so when could they come and visit me?
And it felt really good to say yes, it's true. It finally happened.
Justin Trudeau kept his promise.
And made Canada look like a cool country again, all over the world.
But it was a long journey.
We've been going down this road for about half a century, and it's still isn't over.
Thanks to the Cons, the turkey Senate, Quebec, Manitoba, and Nunavut, we're still going to have to wait another four months, before we can consume marijuana without having to worry about being arrested.
Which is really annoying.
But at least it's finally going to happen. The insane War on Marijuana is almost over.
No more Canadian lives will be ruined for no good reason.
And we do have Justin Trudeau to thank for that, because if Stephen Harper was still Prime Minister marijuana would never have been legalized.
For if you remember Harper suffered from reefer madness...
He had a kinky obsession with jailing young Canadians.
Sadly, so does his successor Andrew Scheer...
Who might as well be starring in a remake of Reefer Madness.
And the Cons have smeared Trudeau over and over again for years in a most disgusting manner...
As only Cons or Trumplings can.
You know, I wouldn't be surprised if many Cons and other older Canadians continue calling for The Great War on Marijuana to continue, as they guzzle their beer or their bourbon.
Or try to diminish Trudeau's historic achievement.
But for most younger Canadians, specially those from minority communities, it is a big deal.
For they were the main victims of that insane war...
And for them the choice in the next election will be a simple one:
Vote for Scheer and the return of the Con's drug prisons.
Or vote for the leader who ended that madness.
And is now leading this country, and inspiring others, to embrace a better and more enlightened future...
There he was yesterday afternoon heading to the National Press Theatre to announce the date of Marijuana Freedom Day.
Promise kept, job well done.
Thank you Justin Trudeau...
If Scheer actually wins the next election would be able to make marijuana illegal again or not?
ReplyDeleteThat depends. In a majority government, he could. But once millions are invested in the industry, including by the big banks, it's unlikely that he would.
DeleteFor that reason, many Conservatives would oppose such a move.
DeleteHi anon@8:56AM...If Scheer ever gets a majority he could be capable of anything. For while anon@10:39 AM is right, by then a lot of money would have been invested in the industry. Scheer is a religious fanatic and his desire to erase Trudeau's legacy, like Trump is trying to erase Obama's legacy, I'm sure if he could find an excuse to shut it down he would...
DeleteNo he could not. A 20% opinion at best will never work, even in a Parliament controlled by first past the post.
Delete
ReplyDeleteYou know, I wouldn't be surprised if many Cons and other older Canadians continue calling for The Great War on Marijuana to continue, as they guzzle their beer or their bourbon.
It's worse than that, Simon. The Cons will be against marijuana as they profit from their investments in grow ops. Con Senators Eaton and Frum both voted against the marijuana bill at second reading, but abstained when it came back for a final vote. Why? Because they both informed the Senate leadership that they stood to profit from legalization! If you really think marijuana is bad for Canadians, why would invest in it? Maybe Fantino has an answer to that.
What else is new? Rules for thee, not for me. Reminds me of "family values" Republicans who are against abortion except for when they get to send their teenage daughters to "visit grandma" or pay off and threaten mistresses to not give birth to an out-of-wedlock baby. Or go out gay-bashing on the campaign trail, sponsor legislation to weaken or outright eliminate hate-crime laws on grounds of "religious freedom," and then tap their feet in bathroom stalls. Or who shriek and holler about "tyranny" when it comes to gun control measures that would save lives, but make sure that the NRA convention is a "gun-free zone" and score billions from defense contracts to give militarized (i.e., tyrannical) cops their own machine guns and tanks.
DeleteOr who don't want anyone else to have government-sponsored healthcare or pensions except them. Or who freak out about "subsidizing welfare" except when it's for their pet pork projects, NFL stadiums, or the bloated war machine. Or who condemn Colin Kaepernick for (in their view) "disrespecting the flag" and "hating America" as they're all traitors in bed with Russia.
I was appalled about what Peter Fonda said about Barron Trump too, but the cons don't seem to have the same reaction to anything they've said about the Obama girls, Chelsea Clinton, or Trudeau's kids. All's fair in hate and war as long as you're "punishing libs."
I suspect marijuana would be no different. Throw some harmless pothead or suffering heroin addict behind bars as you snort coke at high-end strip clubs and profit from pharmaceutical companies and private prisons in your stock portfolio. Or cut healthcare funding to subsidize Big Tobacco.
There is no limit to the cons' cognitive dissonance and self-serving hypocrisy.
Hi anon@9:15 AM...Yes it really is incredible, Senator Frump calling it a bad day for Canadian kids, while preparing to sell land to the marijuana industry. The hypocrisy is simply beyond belief. And as for Julian Fantino and all those other high ranking police officers preparing to profit from weed, after ruining the lives of so many users, that's beyond hypocrisy, it's obscene. I doubt I'll be buying much marijuana, I just don't smoke that much anymore, although I do intend to try my hand at gardening. :) But if I do buy some I'll make sure to find out who is running what company, and do my best to boycott them...
DeleteHi Jackie...When I read your list of Republican hypocrites, I had to shake my head, for those Cons really are shameless. And of course nothing says that more than the support Trump receives from many evangelicals, because it's simply nauseating. I've always felt that progressives need to do more to expose this hypocrisy, and hammer home the message: If you trust a Con you gotta be crazy...
DeleteNow he can focus on legalizing sex work.
ReplyDeleteHi Gyor...I would suggest that Trudeau win the next election before he moves on to that one, for who can forget how Jason Kenney tried to portray Trudeau as a pusher and a pimp in the last election campaign. But I would have no problem legalizing sex work, providing that enough resources were provided to make sure that all are adults, that nobody is working against his or her will, and that alternatives are provided to those who want to get out of that business...
DeleteI don’t smoke or support Trudeau, but I give him full credit for doing the right thing. Sending young people to jail, or saddling them with a criminal record is not right. As you say it has been a long time coming.
ReplyDeletehi anon@12:53...good for you. That's how decent Canadians should react to the legalization of marijuana. In an ideal world I would wish that people didn't use drugs, and that also means avoided alcohol. But since that's not going to happen, I favour any methods of harm reduction, for that is basically the main principle that guides my life...
DeleteYay Canada! ICYMI: The Mexican presidential election will be held on (how about that) July 1. The front-runner is a left-of-center reformist who has proposed legalization as part of his platform:
ReplyDeletehttps://herb.co/marijuana/news/will-amlo-legalize-cannabis-in-mexico
AMLO also declared recently that he is open to allowing foreign experts to come in to try and help Mexico with its corruption, violence, drug trafficking, and “disappeared” people problems.
"Foreign experts" could include allies in the Canadian government. If Mexico legalizes marijuana, Canada should open up a legal trade market with them and really undercut the cartels. It wouldn't be part of NAFTA, because the U.S. still refuses to federally legalize it, and the Covfeferate KKKeebler elf who hates munchies and magic trees has pledged to go after states where it's legal. (Apparently "states' rights" is only for slavery, in Sessions' warped mindset.)
Amerika is looking more like a backwards hermit kingdom and pariah every day. Heck, the Nobel committee should award Trudeau a Peace Prize for this. A... "joint" prize shared with the president of Uruguay. Donnie the colicky brat would have another tantrum over not getting a participation trophy, and have to go to his room for a nap. Maybe give him enough edibles in hopes that he sleeps through the next two years. Save some Timbits left over for Scheer too, in hopes that he snoozes or lumbers through 2019.
Hi Jackie...Mexico has such a horrifying criminal drug problem, driving the cartels out of business would be a truly great thing. The Great War on Drugs has been a monumental failure, but nowhere is it more murderous than in Mexico. The number of Mexicans who have been killed or have disappeared is simply horrifying. And for tourists, even towns like Acapulco that used to be relatively safe are now too dangerous to enjoy...
Delete"You know, I wouldn't be surprised if many Cons and other older Canadians continue calling for The Great War on Marijuana to continue, as they guzzle their beer or their bourbon."
ReplyDeleteSimon, it has taken fifty years to legalize marijuana, and in that time the young of each generation has paid the price. I am one of the few in the area that does not engage, but most of my friends do and will boycott legal sales, while applauding the work of Trudeau and others in legalizing it. In our opinion the very people that fought legalization, and that threw people in jail, are the ones that will profit from legality. If marijuana was immoral before legalization, how does it become moral by simply being declaring legal. There is fifty years, and more, of wrongs that should be addressed.
Hi Filcher...I should have been a bit more thoughtful when I wrote that, and remembered that everyone is young once, and that all have suffered from the Great War on Marijuana. I very much hope that when weed is finally legalized, that a comprehensive amnesty can be brought in to purge the records of all those who suffered for no good reason. For you're absolutely right, legalization should not make us forget what great wrong was done to so many...
DeleteIt would be great if Mexico came on board with Uruguay and Canada.
ReplyDeleteHi lagatta...yes it would be. I'm in favour of legalizing drugs everywhere, and treating abuse as a medical or social problem rather than a criminal one. And I was sorry to read recently that Uruguay is struggling to overcome a major problem. It seems that although weed sales are carefully monitored, and that only regular drug stores are licensed to sell it, the banks fear the long arm of the U.S. and are refusing to deal with any of those stores. As a result, they can only do cash transactions, which makes their business both harder and more dangerous. It seems that Reefer Madness is a stubborn disease that will take years to finally eradicate...
DeleteOmg, AFTER 50 years you say. I can remember in the late 60s kids I knew going to jail for selling it. ruined lives. never heard of anyone rich or connected in B.C. getting busted.
ReplyDeleteI know people who drank themselves to death but never had any of my friends "drag" themselves to death. anything in excess is bad, even ice cream and potatoes. At one time most of the drugs around were not "illegal". Then some one decided it wasn't moral.
The only thing to remember is DON'T DRINK AND DRIVE ADN DON'T TOKE AND DRIVE. Now lets have fun and forget about the bad times for this stuff. Its legal!
Out here in B.C. we have great wines and people take wines tours. I can hardly wait until they have weed tours.
Hi e.a.f....I may be wrong, but I think that with all the don't smoke and drive publicity campaigns, it will be less of a problem after legalization than it is today. Marijuana is a much safer drug than alcohol, but nobody should drive while stoned. Better to take a weed tour and have somebody else to the driving... ;)
DeletePraise the Lord or whatever blessed us with this wonderful weed that helps so many cope with their various afflictions and praise JT for getting the job done.
ReplyDeletePeople will howl how this will affect our society so I say this: Who would you rather encounter on the street? A group of people after they've used weed, with their random acts of giggling and such, or a group who are drunk and disorderly?
This will positively resonate around the world and will help other democracies realise that their war on weed is a ridiculous waste of time and money.
JD
Hi JD...I was going to finish this post by running an old YouTube I have in my files, where somebody took a song by some Christian group called Jesus Is My Friend, and turned it into Reefer Is My Friend. It's hilarious, and I would like to follow Scheer around blaring it out of a loudspeaker. But in the end I decided against it. I'll save it until October 17th. And yes, I hope that Canada will serve as an example to others, for those are the kind of things that make me proud to be a Canadian...
DeleteI grew up smoking stems and seeds because that was all we could get sometimes.
ReplyDeleteEven a month ago I thought this issue would be once again punted to the next election. Justin freed Canada from a police state the same way his dad gave us the charter of rights. Most Canadians are not going to do Coke, or Horse. The Molly, Mushrooms and LSD market need re evaluation.
I really applaud the courage Justin displayed. I read "The emperor has no clothes" and it appears that american big business caused all the madness with yellow jounalism and outright lies after buying off the politicians, which continues today. Maybe it will change here too in the next 5 to 10 years. PS I live in Florida and most arrests are still for Marijuana. Sad.
ReplyDelete