Pardons for past Cannabis convictions in Canada will require No fee or waiting period
Due to the legalization of recreational cannabis in Canada on Wednesday, October 17th, officials in the government have declared an easy and cost-free method to gain pardon for previous offenses related to marijuana. According to a statement by Scott Bardsley, who is a spokesperson for the Canadian Office of the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, a law was being mobilized to rationalize pardons for possessing less than 30 grams of cannabis.
Bardsley said that they’ll be establishing an enactment to institute a further pardon procedure, with no fee, for those with living with past convictions for simply possessing cannabis. She added that pardons for minor cannabis crimes were in the favor of justice and fairness.
Bardsley said the reason behind the pardons is because cannabis is now legal, and the effects of the criminal record are inordinate to the intensity of the offense.
Bardsley also stated that the pardons would only be applicable to crimes relating to possession and personal use and not for crimes relating to trafficking. Moreover, the pardon doesn’t work for dealers, producers or anything related to that.
According to the present law in Canada, people carrying minor marijuana convictions can apply for a pardon of their offense after staying away from other crimes for a five year period. However, the procedure is quite expensive. Pardons related to the possession of cannabis will require no charges under the newly implemented policy. Before offenders receive a pardon, they will need to send applications.
Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale said at a press conference on Wednesday morning that pardons for minor convictions are in line with changing public opinion about cannabis.
Goodale said they will be establishing a new law so that things can become easy for Canadians who have previous marijuana charges.
The declaration to facilitate pardons relating to the possession of marijuana convictions concurred with the legislation of the Cannabis Act, or Bill C-45, which made Canada to become the only G7 nation to legalize marijuana both medicinally and recreationally. When the sales of recreational cannabis began on October 17th, Ian Power was marked as one of the first customers in Canada to purchase a gram of legal recreational marijuana. When Power purchased his legal marijuana at a Tweed dispensary in St. John’s, Newfoundland five seconds after the witching hour, Power told reporters outside the store that it is the most amazing experience he ever had.
Power said that this will be one of the biggest moments of his life. He also said that he intends to save his marijuana, rather than consume it. Power said that he will frame it and hang it on his wall forever.
A marijuana retailer called Tom Clarke, who illegally sold cannabis for 30 years, started a cannabis retail store in Portugal Cove, Newfoundland. His first customer was his father who waited to wait in line and cheered.
Clarke also said that he has been waiting for this experience since he was born and that he is very happy to be a Canada citizen.
