Legislation
Adding a racial lens to the legislated review of the Cannabis Act
By Akwasi Owusu-Bempah and Annamaria Enenajor October 28, 2020
Given what we now know about the insidious way cannabis regulation has historically been a vehicle for systemic racism in Canada, a legislative review without a racial equity impact assessment would be negligent.
Given the history of BIPOC Canadians being disproportionately stopped, searched, arrested, prosecuted, and incarcerated for cannabis possession offences than white Canadians, the development of the legalization framework, as well as its implementation, should have involved robust consultation with Black and other racialized groups, write Akwasi Owusu-Bempah and Annamaria Enenajor. Unsplash photograph by LexScope
The story of the enforcement of cannabis laws in Canada is one of historical injustice and inequality. Indeed, it is undisputed by this government that one of the greatest injustices in our country is the disparity and disproportionality of the enforcement of cannabis laws and the impact this has had on Black communities, Aboriginal communities, and those in our most vulnerable neighbourhoods. Despite evidence of similar rates of use across racial groups, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, people of colour) Canadians are disproportionately stopped, searched, arrested, prosecuted, and incarcerated for cannabis possession offences compared to white Canadians. Evidence also suggests that these groups have been systematically excluded from the positions of power and influence within Canada’s legal cannabis industry.
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