Pot May Soon Be Legal in Canada, But Crimes Will Stand
*By Jacqueline Corba*
Canada's imminent decision to legalize marijuana is a welcome milestone, but the law's failure to absolve people with criminal records for pot prevents them from fully participating in the new, legal cannabis business, said the activist Jodie Emery.
"It's more about big business and government getting into pot sales than it is about protecting the civil liberties of the victims of prohibition," Emery said in an interview Friday with Cheddar.
She and her husband Marc have each [paid $200,000 in fines after pleading guilty] (https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/toronto/pot-activists-marc-and-jodie-emery-get-fine-probation-on-drug-related-charges/article37366319/) to a number of drug related charges, including possession of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking.
"If it's not against the law tomorrow to sell marijuana, why would somebody still be called a criminal for doing it yesterday?" Emery said.
Canada's Senate voted 56-30 on Thursday in favor of legalize marijuana for recreational use. If the legislation passes the House of Commons, the country will become the first of the Group of Seven nations to fully legalize cannabis.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, an outspoken advocate for legalization, has [said] (http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/cannabis-trudeau-legal-summer-1.4647026) the drug will be legal by summer. But, some Senators have delayed the final vote, calling for more amendments.
The proposed law calls for strict regulation on advertising and lets provinces decide whether residents can grow their own weed at home. Medical marijuana has been legal in Canada since 2001.
Emery said she plans to promote cannabis culture by opening a cafe in Toronto called ["Jodie's Joint"] (https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2018/06/06/pot-activist-jody-emery-to-open-hemp-themed-cafe-in-kensington-market.html) where she will sell coffee and, eventually, weed.
For full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/canada-one-step-closer-to-legalizing-weed).
Catching you up on today's entertainment headlines with the Tribeca Film Festival has kicked off in NYC, "Black Adam," starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson dropped its first full trailer, the musical "Come From Away" based on a true story set during 9/11 will be closing on Broadway this October, and more.
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If you have been on the road this past year, you've probably seen more accidents on the road than you ever have. You're not wrong. Traffic fatalities are not only increasing they are hitting historic highs. Almost 43,000 people died in motor vehicle accidents in 2021. Cheddar's Shannon Lanier investigates - and finds out why.
U.S. stocks close Tuesday at session highs after a subpar start to the trading day. Tim Chubb, Chief Investment Officer at the wealth advisory firm, Girard, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss. 'We're starting to see the moderation of three core things -- we've seen the moderation of prices, we've seen the moderation of wage growth we've seen in the labor market, and we've also seen a moderation of job openings,' he says.
The victims from the USA gymnastics sexual abuse scandal continue to seek justice. Survivors of Larry Nassar are seeking more than one-billion dollars from the FBI for failing to stop the convicted sports doctor when the agency first received allegations. According to a report released by the Justice Department's Inspector General, FBI agents knew
in July of 2015 that Nassar was accused of abusing gymnasts; however, Nassar wasn't arrested until December of 2016. The group that filed the claim includes Olympic medalist Simone Biles and around 90 other women. Louise Radnofsky, sports reporter at The Wall Street Journal, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Tattoo artist Katrina "Kat Tat" Jackson, famous for starring in the VH1 hit series "Black Ink Crew: Chicago," is also the first Black woman to own a tattoo shop in Beverly Hills. She joined Cheddar News to discuss her trailblazing work, the stigma BIPOC tattoo artists face in the industry, and the way the space has changed for artists of color since her start. "In the beginning, I remember walking into a tattoo shop just like, hey, I wanna learn, I wanna be a tattoo artist and kind of just being laughed at, not taken seriously," she said. "Even with the tattoo conventions, a lot of African American tattoo artists were almost scared to go to conventions because it's not a welcoming environment."
