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The Origins Of Canadian Narcotics Legislation: The Process Of Criminalization In Historical Context, Neil Boyd

Dalhousie Law Journal

The year 1972 saw a federal Commission investigating the non-medical use of drugs recommend repeal of the offence of possession of marijuana', an indication that state policy with respect to the social control of psychoactive substances was undergoing a thorough re-appraisal. It is not surprising, then, that the past decade should also have seen a considerable degree of academic interest in Canada's initial attempt to make criminal the citizen's desire to alter consciousness. A comprehensive review of this admirable collection of research reveals that Canada ought not to take pride in these initial efforts. The initial statute has been explained …