Marijuana is a hotly discussed topic in Canada. It brings about lots of opposing views and passionate debates. By analyzing available data on marijuana usage and law enforcement in this infographic, we wanted to bring more to the discussion table.
We used data from official government sources to show that the state of marijuana in Canada is one big legal mess. Despite being illegal, marijuana is heavily consumed. Plenty of people go unpunished for breaking the law, but those who do get charged end up with a criminal record that marks them for life. The law enforcement rate seems arbitrary. The arrest and charge rates differ a lot depending on the geographical region, while the usage rates don’t.
That could be an indication that enforcement depends on the police division and/or a court office.