prior to ____ Canada did not have regulations, federal or provinciel, for governing the use of drugs
1908
explain what led up to the opium act
- chinese immigrant worked lower wages
- euro-canadian employment opprotunities went down, chinese had all jobs - resentment and hostility
- tax on chinese immigration went up but japanese immigration increased dramaticall
- labour riot
- investigration into that found about opium money and law breaking
who went to do the investigation of the labour riots that then made reccommendations that led to the opium act?
Canadian Deputy Minister of labour MacKenize King - interviewd Vancouver opium merchants
what were the 4 conclusions mackenzie king made about opium
- opiom smoking was growing popularity among whites
- chinese merchants were proffiting from the opium trade
- the opium trade was in violation of current provincial pharmacy legislation
- Canada had a moral responsibility to serve as a leader in the campagin against opium use
what did the opium act do
indictable offence, cant import, manufacture posses to sell for non-med. purposes
(but you can use it or have it )
is the opium act made in 1908 still in place today?
in 1911 they made the opium and drug act which has harsher legislation - impacted chinese people more becuase opium was associated with them
explain the patent medicine act
made in 1909,
- required documentation and legislatin of cerain drugs that were then used by doctors,
- no cocaine use in medicines,
- pharma compagnies required to list ingrediants on labels of meicines that used heroin, opium, or morphine,
-
explain food and dugs act?
1920
took over patent medicine act,
- specific requirements for licensing drugs for use in canada,
- minister of health authority could cancel or suspenf drug licenses if they violated its requirements
- in 1947 went under revisions
explain the narcotic act
1961
- the criminalizatio of drugs
- in 1950s - illegal drugs declining/ media published about drug-addicted youth
- 1955 formation of the senate of the specific commitee on the traffic of narcotic drugs in canada
in 1960s/70s people began to see problem with laws and began critizing them for making criminals out of white middle class youth
explain the Le Dain Commision
evaluationa nd debate of illicit drugs
- 365 submissions
- 12000 ppl in attendence
- reccommeded: greater leniency, abolishment of imprisonment, possession of cannabis not an offence
- but despite the reccommendations - no effect on laws today
Which president declared a “War on Drugs” and when? When did Canada follow suit?
President Ronald Reagan in 1986
- canada followed - in 1987 Canada introduced the first “National drug stategy”
Canada’s National Drug strategy
acknowledged substance disordes were mainly a health issue but kept enforcement based approaches
- worked to reduce the demand and suppply of drugs through control and enforcement, prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation, and harm reduction
- commitee formed to work on new legislation leading to Bill C8
what was different about Canada’s Drug Strategy after it was renewed/ when was it renewed?
renewed in 2003
focused on the underlying factors of disorders
- looked into reducing harms associated withthe use of narcotics and prescription durgs
National Anti-drug strategy -
2007
focused on reducing the supply/demand for illicit drugs
Controlled drugs and substances Act
focused on importation, production, distribution, and possession of various drugs and substances in Canada
- sometimes with a legally obtained prescription you can have these drugs
- a controlled substance must be legally possessed and used by the person whom it was prescribed.
what are summary convictions
what someone can get if they possess illicit substances - can apply for pardon after 5 years
- does not go on criminal record
what are inditable offences
carry a criminal record - more serious possession crimes, can apply for parole after 10 years
Sentencing for drug crimes
CDSA Canadian Drugs and Substances act judges have a lot of discretion
- some factors that may influence sentencing is selling drugs to children, involving children under 18 in the commision of an offence, selling drugs near youth
