6 Alb. Govt. L. Rev. 258 (2013)
Carolynn Conron
The following is a critical examination of Canada‘s medical cannabis laws, divided into three main parts. Part One provides a brief overview of the legal framework of Canada‘s cannabis prohibition. Part Two outlines some evidence of the risks and medicinal benefits of cannabis, to form the factual underpinning for a constitutional analysis under section 7 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. In Part Three, I apply the research literature to the Charter. I suggest a minimum system of medical access, and an ideal system that accounts for broader societal goals. Although there has been a great deal of progress in understanding some individuals‘ legitimate medical need for cannabis, there is still a long way to go before those individuals can use cannabis without the fear of criminal sanction.