THE QUESTION

I work at a big-box retail store as an overnight stocker and am on medical marijuana to relieve severe stomach pain. I am afraid of being terminated for using the marijuana, so I have not informed my employer and do not use it while at work. However, often I have to leave my shift early due to pain, citing sickness. I do not know my legal rights. How would you suggest that my employer should react to my situation, if I reveal the marijuana usage?

THE FIRST ANSWER

Katherine Poirier Partner at Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, Montreal

The fact marijuana law reform was absent from the 2016 federal budget does not diminish Liberals’ stance on legalization, a top drug policy expert says.

Eugene Oscapella, a University of Ottawa criminal justice professor and lawyer who specializes in social policy development, says, in fact, that the omission of funding to regulate marijuana is actually a good thing given the government should be focused on a health-based approach, rather than viewing it as a major source of tax revenue.

“First you have to design the regulatory framework,” says Oscapella. “The provinces are going to have to get involved in this, and there are costs and benefits to each side.”

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A Toronto mother of three has opened up a medical marijuana shop on Parkdale’s main strip on Queen Street West and a passer-by wouldn’t even know it.

Nestled between a flower shop and a bar, The Caylx Wellness Centre has no enlarged marijuana leaf emblazoned on the store front, its name isn’t a play on words associated with weed and there’s no neon lights; the go-to marketing designs for dispensaries.

Instead store owner Danielle, who requested to not have her last name published, went a different route and focused on the importance of discretion.

US

The hardline drug policies adopted during the 1980s in the “war on drugs”, including mandatory minimum sentences for some drug-related crimes, has led to extremely high levels of incarceration in the country. The US has more than 2 million people in its jails – the second highest rate of incarceration per capita in the world – about half of whom were convicted of drugs-related crimes.

Federal Health Minister Jane Philpott says the government has decided not to appeal the Allard v. Canada decision – a February federal court ruling that allows for patients to grow their own medical marijuana.

“We will not be appealing the court’s decision,” Philpott announced to reporters Thursday.

“We will respect the decision of the federal court and as such we are now in a situation where we have responsibility to address the Marihuana for Medical Purposes Regulations and they will be amended accordingly in order to address the concerns of the court.”

Today was the deadline to file an appeal.

After the largest medical marijuana producer in Canada raised more than $10 million through an investment bank, Michael Berger, President ofTechnical420.com, highlights the company’s recent developments and growth potential.

As 2016 continues to unfold, Canopy Growth Corporation (CGC.V) (TWMJF: OTC) has continued to prove itself as the leader in the Canadian medical marijuana industry.

Investment Thesis

The war on drugs has failed, fuelling higher rates of infection and harming public health and human rights to such a degree that it's time to decriminalize non-violent minor drug offences, according to a new global report.

The authors of the Johns Hopkins-Lancet Commission on Public Health and International Drug Policy call for minor use, possession and petty use to be decriminalized following measurably worsened human health.

After Joe Ceci told a roomful of rural politicians that Alberta's liquor stores could sell pot if was ever legalized by the federal government, the provincial finance minister quickly had to clarify that his comment was a joke.

But as it turns out, Ceci wasn't that far off the mark.

Members of the Alberta Liquor Store Association are currently doing a survey on the idea of selling marijuana in stores.

"We're going to our membership to see first of all, is this a good fit for our stores?" said association president Ivonne Martinez. 

Marijuana advocates expecting some mention about legalized pot in Tuesday’s federal budget were left high and dry.

Despite being a cornerstone of the Liberal election campaign, there has scarcely been a mention about legalizing weed from the party since it took power five months ago.

And it wasn’t in Tuesday’s budget, despite the popular position that legalization could be a cash cow used to offset the government’s $30-billion deficit.

In fact, the drug isn’t factored into any Liberal projections and the word marijuana did not appear once in the entire budget document.

So what gives?