The general notion that cannabis legalization is on the way is understood by most, but there are various individuals and groups that stay focused on aspects such as impaired driving, restricting access to children, and the addiction element. One of these individuals is former Calgary police chief Rick Hanson, who is currently the Capital Campaign Co-Chair for Fresh Start, which is a drug and alcohol treatment centre for men in Calgary.
He says that legalizing cannabis won’t lead to less addiction, and that criminal gangs will continue to profit and get people hooked. “One’s with education, you know getting kids at the right time so you can give them the facts to make the right decision, but also recognizing that events happen with people where they become alcoholics or addicted and the services have to be there to get them out of the same situation when their desirous of doing that, of getting out,” Hanson says.
Huge numbers of people within the cannabis movement would disagree with Hanson’s assertion, as many of these people are using cannabis medicinally in order to treat various diseases and symptoms. So far, most of the focus from the government and law enforcement is concentrated on impaired driving, restricting access for children, and how best to regulate the selling of legal cannabis. Even with legalization on the way, most of those in the cannabis community are not happy with the way that legal cannabis is unfolding.