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The Controlled Drug and Substance Act dictates which drug acts are criminal under Canadian law. The act is quite extensive and lists a number of crimes that many people in Ontario may not even realize are criminal. Of course, most people in the province know that marijuana possession is a violation of the law, but it is hardly as serious as a violent or destructive crime.
Sadly, the Ontario Provincial Police are not likely to be lenient with drug possession crimes, especially in the more rural areas of Ontario. According to the OPP, drugs pose a danger to the community and, thus, they take it very seriously whenever young people purchase or sell drugs. Unfortunately for two young people in Wawa, a township a few kilometres off of Lake Superior, the OPP demonstrated just how seriously they take drug violations after they were arrested earlier this month.
One young man is only 16 years old and was charged with marijuana possession. The other young man, who is 21 years old, was charged with both marijuana trafficking and possession of property obtained by crime under $5,000. It can be surmised that the older of the two sold to the minor.
Police claim to have witnessed the two young men exchange money for drugs in a local park. Both were arrested and will appear in court in July.
If what police are accusing actually happened, then these two young men made a mistake. Do they deserve to be criminally convicted, face serious punishments and develop a criminal record? Many people would argue that the punishment is far more severe than the crime, as it can have a devastating effect on their futures, even for years to come.
Source: Wawa-News, “SE OPP Wawa — Two Charged After Drug Exchange,” June 12, 2013
