The Raid Lobby – Part 2: Wanting to eradicate your legacy market competition is NORML

NORML Canada endorses raids. Again. They say it was a mistake. Again. They won’t do anything meaningful to fix their mistake. Again. And Canadians will continue to get killed or have their lives and livelihoods destroyed as a result.

“No. Cannabis is legal in Canada. No one should be criminalized for cannabis for any reason at any time.”

– The answer given to the question “SHOULD CANNABIS BE CRIMINALIZED?” From the NORML Canada homepage. (1)

Image #1: https://norml-canada.org

Way back in September 2022, I wrote about a press release sent to Cannabis Culture by The Canadian Cannabis Cartel – I mean the Cannabis Council of Canada (“C3” – the corporate pot lobbyists) – that my editor at Cannabis Culture had asked me to respond to.

In the process of researching C3, I came across their “Not Done Yet Report Card” they had released the year before. In this report card, C3 had given the Government of Canada an “F” in “Combatting the Illicit Market.”

Image #2: Originally found at: https://cannabis-council.ca/files/Not-Done-Yet-Report-Card-Rationale-10.19.21.pdf (no longer online) Now archived at: “The Raid Lobby,” September 25, 2022 David Malmo-Levine https://pot-shot.ca/2022/09/25/the-raid-lobby/

“Combatting.” You know, intimidation, fines & sometimes even police raids for any pot growers who couldn’t afford the millions of dollars it took to be a licensed producer:

“‘But the risk and price tag associated with applying for the licence are immense, and growers can’t make a return with such a small footprint, Hurford said. Anselmo agreed, noting it can cost $500,000 to $1 million with no guarantee of approval. ‘It’s a lot of upfront risk,’ he said.’” (2)

Or intimidation/fines/raids for any pot dealers who didn’t have the incredible luck (and/or the the connections and/or the tens of thousands of dollars) it took to be a licensed retailer.

Image #3: “Licensing fee of $30,000 ‘ridiculously high’ / Vancouver moves to defuse pot dispensary explosion,”” The Vancouver Sun, Vancouver, B.C., April 23rd, 2015, p. 7 (Image number 562) https://pot-shot.ca/2026/10/08/reefer-madness-1895-to-the-present-chapter-15-2010-to-2015-the-u-s-cannabis-cartel/

Image #4: “Educational Posters for the 4/20 2022 Rally,” David Malmo-Levine, April 17, 2022 https://www.cannabisculture.com/content/2022/04/17/educational-posters-for-the-4-20-2022-rally/

C3 has since removed the report card from their website.

But reporting on the report card remains on the internet . . . and it reveals a very interesting fact regarding who was the co-author of the report card: NORML Canada.

“In collaboration with Cannabis Amnesty, Medical Cannabis Canada, NORML, and the rest of the cannabis community, C3 is calling on governments to adopt the reforms needed to fulfill the health, social, and economic promise of legalization, which they say has not been done so far. With four failing grades and three more nearly failing grades, it’s clear that there are several reforms to be done. … Combatting the illicit market and consumer awareness and education seem to be the largest failing, according to the report card.” (3)

Image #5: “C3 Report Card: Not Done Yet,” Oct 21st, 2021 https://cannabisretailer.ca/2021/c3-report-card-not-done-yet/

Image #6: “C3 Report Card: Not Done Yet,” Oct 21st, 2021 https://cannabisretailer.ca/2021/c3-report-card-not-done-yet/

“Released Sunday, the report card is the work of the Cannabis Council of Canada (CCC), the national organization of Canada’s licensed producers and processors, along with Cannabis Amnesty, Medical Cannabis Canada (MCC) and advocacy organization NORML. … Its authors emphasize their concerns on the lack of government action to crack down on unregulated weed, which they argue is still available to youth from the illicit market and which studies show contain more contaminants…. And as a whole, combating the illicit market also got an ‘F.’ Eliminating unregulated weed sources is one of the primary objectives of legalization, but the authors estimate about $4 billion a year is diverted to the illicit market. ‘Governments have left legal licence holders on their own when it comes to combating the illicit market,’ reads the report. … For the most part, the evaluation suggests enforcement of illicit sellers is needed, while reducing regulatory burdens for legal ones.” (4)

Image #7: “’Nanny state’ Canada gets ‘D’ grade for cannabis legalization In a report by several industry groups, its authors continue to argue for less restriction to battle the still-thriving illicit market,” Oct 18, 2021 https://mugglehead.com/nanny-state-canada-gets-d-grade-for-cannabis-legalization/

I wrote an analysis of the report card, in which I quoted parts of an interaction I had with NORML Canada where I shared my concerns with them. One of these concerns was the appearance of NORML Canada endorsing “combatting the illicit market” (raids):

“My feeling was that the whole Report Card thing was designed to make it appear that NORML Canada signed off on a crackdown on legacy growers and dealers.” (5)

Image #8: “The Raid Lobby,” September 25, 2022, David Malmo-Levine https://pot-shot.ca/2022/09/25/the-raid-lobby/

The Director of NORML Canada – Jennawae Cavion – had told me that NORML Canada’s contribution to the report card had nothing to do with enforcement – they just responded to  the “combatting the illicit market” category by listing problems involving competing with it, not what the government’s reaction should be.

After a few more emails, I suggested NORML Canada put out its own report card, emphasizing NORML’s support for the legacy market and soft drug regulations. Cavion said that she would take my suggestion to the group. A month and four days went by and Cavion got back to me. She said the “NORML Canada report card” idea was not accepted, but their website was going to be updated and some of the ideas we discussed would be incorporated.

It should be noted at this point that Jennawae Cavion also happens to be the founder and CEO of Calyx + Trichomes – a licensed cannabis retail franchise with a couple of shops in Kingston, Ontario. (6) This gives the appearance of a conflict of interest: NORML Canada’s home page is filled with platitudes about how “no one should be criminalized” or how “cannabis prohibition disproportionately affected marginalized groups,” but the reality is, is that the more her legacy (illegal) market competition is raided, the more money she stands to make replacing that market with her own.

When the website update was posted, their “statement of principles” did have the suggestion that they were pro-legacy market and against raids:

“1. That it is the right of every adult to use, possess, produce, purchase and distribute cannabis – whether for recreational, medicinal or industrial purposes.” (7)

But they still had support for hard drug/alcohol-esque pot regulations that would allow for limited licenses and enforcement against unlicensed competitors:

“5. That cannabis should be fully legalized, and that its use, production, and distribution be properly regulated and taxed by provincial and local governments, much like alcohol and gambling.” (8)

The problem with alcohol regulations for pot is that 1) some (poor) people get left out of the economy, and 2) the enforcement of these laws resembles the “Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms” (ATF) swat team style of enforcement that is famous in the United States, that has resulted in more than one cannabis-enforcement-related death in Canada, and an average of at least 3 cannabis-enforcement-related deaths every year in North America.

Image #9: “Killed Over Pot Part 2: Why Was Kentrail Small Killed?” May 11, 2025, David Malmo-Levine https://pot-shot.ca/2025/05/11/killed-over-pot-part-2-why-was-kentrail-small-killed/

Image #10: “Federal law enforcement agencies release little use-of-force data. NBC News documented five years of their shootings. NBC News found 216 shootings by officers working for or with the FBI, ATF, DEA and U.S. Marshals from 2018 to 2022. Many got little to no public attention when they happened.” December 8, 2023 https://www.nbcnews.com/news/investigations/shootings-federal-agencies-fbi-dea-atf-us-marshals-5-years-rcna126357

The NORML Canada website certainly did not contain (and continues to not contain) anything that would debunk the “Reefer Madness 2.0” that is used to justify hard drug/alcohol type pot regulations – and the rich people’s pot cartel (and the brutal, livelihood-destroying, occasionally life-destroying raids) that result from it. I tried to get them to work on an educational campaign to debunk Reefer Madness 2.0, but they weren’t interested.

I tried to get NORML Canada to support fair trade organic coffee bean regulations for pot – no more arrests, no outrageously discriminatory regulations, no more raids – but to no avail. The Canadian federal Green Party promised to support “ending arrests and raids on cannabis growers, users and sellers” (9) – but NORML Canada would not. At least, they refused to walk back their endorsement of enforcement in the report card.

Image #11: “Federal Green Party Votes To Regulate Pot Like Coffee Beans!” April 21, 2022, David Malmo-Levine https://pot-shot.ca/2022/04/21/federal-green-party-votes-to-regulate-pot-like-coffee-beans/

That was all in September of 2022.

Fast forward to 2024.

The report card – which was left to stand by NORML Canada – was then no doubt read by an official government “Expert Panel” in charge of the “Legislative Review of the Cannabis Act” and incorporated into their March 2024 “Final Report,” which also called for more “enforcement.” (10) Both C3 and NORML Canada were thanked for their expert testimony by the Expert Panel.

Image #12: “Legislative Review of the Cannabis Act: Final Report of the Expert Panel,” Health Canada, March 2024 https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/publications/drugs-medication/legislative-review-cannabis-act-final-report-expert-panel.html#a10

Image #13: “Legislative Review of the Cannabis Act: Final Report of the Expert Panel,” Health Canada, March 2024 https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/publications/drugs-medication/legislative-review-cannabis-act-final-report-expert-panel.html#a10

Fast forward again another two years to October of 2026.

In a February 2026 StratCan article about NORML Canada’s response to a petition calling for tighter regulations on pot sales, I discovered that Jennawae Cavion had again called for more “enforcement against illicit markets” – this time in a letter to Health Canada!

“Canada’s cannabis framework is not without areas for improvement. However, the evidence supports continued regulation, enforcement against illicit markets, robust public education, safe packaging and storage standards, and targeted harm-reduction strategies.” (11)

Image #14: “NORML Canada says recent cannabis petition lacks evidence,” February 11, 2026 https://stratcann.com/news/norml-canada-says-recent-cannabis-petition-lacks-evidence/

In a series of emails back and forth with Cavion, I proceeded to find out that:

1. She thanked me for bringing it to her attention.
2. She claimed that “There was a mistake in the letter.”
3. She claimed that “NORML has never endorsed raids.”
4. She then claimed that “the recent statement was a mistake that has been corrected.”

What she meant by “corrected” was that she had the StratCan article writer scrub any mention of “enforcement against illicit markets” from the article. The article now says “Note: This article has been updated to remove a quote from Cavion.” (12)

Her call for “enforcement against illicit markets” remained in the letter to Health Canada, and she ignored my request for her to “correct” that mistake by sending them another letter.

Once again, NORML Canada was asked to correct their “raid endorsement mistake.” Once again, NORML Canada decided to just let their pro-enforcement statement stand.

The series of emails back and forth with Cavion continued, where I proceeded to find out that:

5) She claimed that “The February letter contained wording that was inconsistent with our position, and that has been corrected, including in StratCann’s reporting. The remainder of the letter stands.”

6) She also claimed that “The February letter was a point-by-point response to petition e-6991, not an endorsement of police raids.”

7) She also claimed that “I’ve also explained the extent of our involvement with C3. Collaborating on one portion of a report does not constitute an endorsement of every position in it.  C3 is no longer an active organization.”

8) She challenged me to provide her will “peer-reviewed studies” that proved that cannabis psychosis was a fraud, and when I provided her with a huge pile of those studies, she dropped the topic entirely.

9) Finally, she asserted that “I appreciate your advocacy, but I don’t have the capacity to continue revisiting the same points.”

What did she mean by “corrected, including in StratCann’s reporting”? Did that mean she made more than one correction? Did she mean that she had also sent another letter to Health Canada that corrected her mistaken call for enforcement? And what did she mean by “The February letter was … not an endorsement of police raids.” Was there no mention of enforcement in that letter? The Original StratCann article seemed to indicate that there was.

I had to be sure.

I contacted Health Canada to obtain a copy of the original February 11th, 2026 from NORML Canada.

They sent me a copy, complete with the call for “enforcement against the illicit market” in the conclusion – right above Jennawae Cavion’s signature.

Image #15: Letter from NORML Canada to Health Canada, February 11th, 2026, received by (and obtained by) Catherine Ngando Edimo, Clerk of the Standing Committee on Health (HESA), [email protected]

Image #16: Letter from NORML Canada to Health Canada, February 11th, 2026, received by (and obtained by) Catherine Ngando Edimo, Clerk of the Standing Committee on Health (HESA), [email protected]

Finally I understood what Cavion meant when she said that “The February letter was … not an endorsement of police raids.” She meant that endorsing police raids was not the main thrust of the letter – it was a careless add-on at the end. It didn’t really count as a genuine endorsement.

Except that it does. It means the government has 2 different documents indicating that NORML Canada has signed on to the raids – and no evidence that they changed their minds.

Government officials already hold special meetings with a “Cannabis Industry Forum” (Cannabis cartel executives) to discuss all the ways they can “displace the illicit market” (including, of course, raids):

“Since the legalization of recreational cannabis in October 2018, the cannabis industry has helped displace the illicit market by up to 70%. Since spring 2023, the Forum has had preliminary meetings to discuss a range of topics. The members also engaged with Morris Rosenberg, Chair of the expert panel leading the legislative review of the Cannabis Act.” (13)

Image #17: “Government of Canada creates a forum to discuss challenges in the Canadian legal cannabis industry,” February 23, 2024 https://www.canada.ca/en/innovation-science-economic-development/news/2024/02/government-of-canada-creates-a-forum-to-discuss-challenges-in-the-canadian-legal-cannabis-industry.html

Image #18: “Cannabis industry seeks help from feds to confront problems,” The Province, Vancouver, British Columbia, August 27th, 2024, p. 9

Image #19: “Cannabis industry seeks help from feds to confront problems,” The Province, Vancouver, British Columbia, August 27th, 2024, p. 9

And of course the government received copies of the C3 report card. Meetings between C3 and various branches of the Canadian federal government happened 29 times between 2018 and 2026. (14)

On a provincial level, BC cannabis retailers have sued the BC government because they felt the BC government wasn’t raiding Indigenous dispensaries enough. (15) It turns out that the BC government won, in part because they argued that – by 2022 – they had already “took significant enforcement actions against more than 70 unlicensed cannabis retailers.” (16)

Image #20: “Traditional Medicine,” David Malmo-Levine, June 9, 2022 https://www.cannabisculture.com/content/2022/06/09/traditional-medicine/

Image #21: “British Columbia court tosses suit over cannabis store enforcement on reserves – A group of licensed cannabis retailers in British Columbia lost their bid to be compensated for the province’s alleged failure to ‘adequately’ enforce provincial licensing requirements on Indigenous reserves.” September 21, 2023 https://mjbizdaily.com/news/british-columbia-court-tosses-suit-over-cannabis-store-enforcement-on-reserves/377673

To be sure – C3 called for “enforcement” far more often – and with stronger language – than NORML Canada does. In fact, in more than one interview C3 President & CEO Paul McCarthy actually said that the illicit (legacy) market shouldn’t just be displaced, it should be ERADICATED:

“The reason why cannabis was legalized was to achieve public policy objectives: 1) to displace the illicit market (personally | think it should be to ERADICATE the illicit market . . .)” (17)

Image #22: “Our President, Paul McCarthy, joined Catherine Cullen on her CBC podcast, The House, in an episode where she evaluates the effects that Trudeau’s leadership has had on the Country. On it, they discuss one of the most notable changes Trudeau was responsible for, which was the legalization of Cannabis. McCarthy weighs in on whether the legalization of the cannabis industry has been a success, and why it’s necessary to eradicate the illicit market. Listen to what he had to say and let us know what you think in the comments.” March 26th, 2025 https://www.linkedin.com/posts/cannabis-canada_our-president-paul-mccarthy-joined-catherine-activity-7310747538628714497-U9Te/

Image #23: “Canada’s Cannabis Experiment is Struggling: Here’s Why,” H&H Ep. 26, The Honourable and The Hack, June 9th, 2026 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U90JoCNuJMg

So what does “enforcement against illicit markets” or “eradication of the illicit market” entail?

Well, some times it’s just a bunch of threats of fines to retailers or their landlords that make people give up and close their doors.

But if intimidation doesn’t work, then the goons come.

If you need visual examples of this in order to understand it, there’s plenty available. Please see the “Raid Gallery” at the end of this article.

As soon as “legalization” happened, an orgy of arrests occurred. According to the Canadian Center on Substance Use and Addiction, there were 308 arrests in Canada for growing cannabis between Oct. 17th and Dec. 31st. 2018. (18) And that pace then increased. In less than four months, the Ontario Police by themselves made 195 arrests and netted 122,000 illegal cannabis plants – an average of about 625 plants per arrestee. (19)

That was just Ontario. Starting October 17, 2018 with the enactment of the Cannabis Act, Canadian police reported a total of 18,097 incidents under the legislation. Following more than 14 months of enforcement, the most common types of offences under the Cannabis Act were related to importation or exportation (64% of all Cannabis Act offences), possession (13%), and sale (7%). (20)

More recent statistics reveal that – in spite of massive reductions in the number of pot arrests – thousands of Canadians are still arrested for cannabis offences 6 years after “legalization:”

“ . . . in 2014, there were nearly 70,000 cannabis offences in Canada, which accounted for two-thirds (66%) of all drug crime. In 2024, cannabis offences accounted for a far smaller number (8,879) and proportion (17%) of all drug crime (Table 1). In 2024, cannabis offences under the Cannabis Act were most often related to importation and exportation (66%), while smaller proportions were related to possession (13%), distribution (7%), sale (7%), production (3%) and other crimes (4%).” (21)

According to a BC government website, the “Community Safety Unit” (such an Orwellian name for “cannabis cartel cops”) “has conducted 130 enforcements since 2018, seizing over $43.84 million in cannabis products.” (22)

Sometimes the goons come with their hands on their guns.

Sometimes the goons come with their guns drawn and pointed at the heads of the flower criminals.

On four different occasions, they have killed Canadians they suspected were involved in small-time pot dealing or pot growing operations. And just last year on 4/20, a 16 year old teen was shot and killed during a “suspected cannabis use” investigation. More “raids gone wrong.” More “mistakes.”

And of course there have also been Canadian police who have died enforcing these pot laws – namely the 4 RCMP officers in 2005, and an Ontario Provincial Police officer in 2020.

That’s at least 10 Canadians who would probably still be alive today if pot was regulated like coffee beans.

Image #24: A photo of Daniel Possee at his funeral, killed in a pot raid that netted 15 grams of weed. “Case will not rest, family vows,” Vancouver Sun, Vancouver, B.C., May 22nd, 1992, p. 4 Also image 156 of this article: “Reefer Madness – 1895 to the Present – Chapter 12: 1990 to 1997 – Not In Control,” March 22, 2026, David Malmo-Levine https://pot-shot.ca/2026/03/22/reefer-madness-1895-to-the-present-chapter-12-1990-to-1997-not-in-control/

Image #25: “I pulled trigger as gun swung toward us,” The Province, Vancouver, B.C., November 19th, 1992, p. 5 Also image 166 of this article: “Reefer Madness – 1895 to the Present – Chapter 12: 1990 to 1997 – Not In Control,” March 22, 2026, David Malmo-Levine https://pot-shot.ca/2026/03/22/reefer-madness-1895-to-the-present-chapter-12-1990-to-1997-not-in-control/

Image #26: “Break down of the law,” Reverend Damuzi, Cannabis Culture, 01 Mar, 1999 https://www.cannabisculture.com/content/1999/03/01/1786/

Image #27: “Police officers gather at the Quonset hut near Rochfort Bridge where four Mounties were gunned down Thursday. They were investigating a marijuana grow operation.” “Four Mounties shot dead – Gunman’s body found after shootout at Alberta grow op – Officer toll highest since 1885 North-West Rebellion,” Calgary Herald, March 4th, 2005, p. 1 Also image 411 of this article: “Reefer Madness – 1895 to the Present – Chapter 14: 2000 to 2010 – Vulnerable Groups,” August 6, 2026, David Malmo-Levine https://pot-shot.ca/2026/08/06/reefer-madness-1895-to-the-present-chapter-14-2000-to-2010-vulnerable-groups/

Image #28: “Their deaths were senseless and heartbreaking. But should they spur a drug crackdown?” MACLEAN’S magazine, March 14th, 2005 Also image 425 of this article: “Reefer Madness – 1895 to the Present – Chapter 14: 2000 to 2010 – Vulnerable Groups,” August 6, 2026, David Malmo-Levine https://pot-shot.ca/2026/08/06/reefer-madness-1895-to-the-present-chapter-14-2000-to-2010-vulnerable-groups/

Image #29: “James Michael ROSZKO,” https://murderpedia.org/male.R/r/roszko-james.htm#google_vignette

Image #30: https://murderpedia.org/male.R/r/roszko-james.htm#google_vignette

Image #31: “Bony Jean-Pierre, 46, an Afrikan man, was shot in Montréal, Québec by Montréal Police officer Christian Gilbert on March 31, 2016. Jean-Pierre was running from police during a raid, and attempted to climb out a second floor window. Gilbert saw Jean-Pierre climbing out the window and shot him in the head rubber bullet. Jean Pierre fell from the window, and died of his injuries in hospital several days later.” “Remembering Black, Indigenous, and Other People of Colour killed by Canadian police,” https://ecosocialistsvancouver.org/article/remembering-black-indigenous-and-other-people-colour-killed-canadian-police

Image #32: “Police decision to let vandalism unfold was ‘strategic’: councillor,” The Gazette, Montreal, Quebec, April 8th, 2016, p. 3

Image #33: “Race relations remain tense in Montreal North,” The Gazette, Montreal, Quebec, April 16th, 2016, p. 4

Image #34: “Police officer acquitted in fatal shooting of Bony Jean-Pierre in Montréal-Nord – Gilbert was charged with manslaughter after he shot Jean-Pierre with a plastic bullet in 2016,” CBC News, Feb 04, 2021 https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/police-officer-christian-gilbert-acquitted-death-bony-jean-pierre-montreal-north-1.5900792

Image #35: “Family of man fatally shot by Montreal police officer to sue following acquittal The family of a Montreal man who was fatally shot by a police officer in 2016 plans to sue following a recent Quebec Court decision to acquit the officer of manslaughter.” Feb 7 2021 https://montrealgazette.com/news/family-of-man-fatally-shot-by-montreal-police-officer-to-sue-following-acquittal/ (It is unknown if anything came of this lawsuit.)

Image #36: “Gary Brohman of Gore Bay identified as second man killed in fatal police shooting on Manitoulin Island,” November 21, 2020 https://www.ctvnews.ca/northern-ontario/article/gary-brohman-of-gore-bay-identified-as-second-man-killed-in-fatal-police-shooting-on-manitoulin-island/

Image #37: “Marc Hovingh, Provincial Constable – Badge #8340 Gore Bay (Manitoulin Island) – Nov 19, 2020” https://oppa.ca/honour-roll/hovingh-marc/

Image #38: “SIU Director’s Report – Case # 20-PFD-314” https://siu.on.ca/en/directors_report_details.php?drid=1178

Image #39: “Manitoulin man killed along with OPP officer had distrust of police, relatives say – No funeral to be held for 60-year-old Gary Brohman,” CBC News, Nov 26, 2020 https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/sudbury/manitoulin-police-officer-killed-gary-brohman-1.5815697

Image #40: “Boy, 16, dies after ‘exchange of gunfire’ with Toronto police: SIU CBC Toronto obtains part of what appears to be body camera footage of the incident,” CBC News, Apr 22, 2025 https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/teen-siu-toronto-police-shooting-1.7515438

Image #41: “Boy, 16, dies after ‘exchange of gunfire’ with Toronto police: SIU CBC Toronto obtains part of what appears to be body camera footage of the incident,” CBC News, Apr 22, 2025 https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/teen-siu-toronto-police-shooting-1.7515438

Image #42: “SIU Director’s Report – Case # 25-TFD-155” https://siu.on.ca/en/directors_report_details.php?drid=4603

Image #43: “SIU Director’s Report – Case # 25-TFD-155” https://siu.on.ca/en/directors_report_details.php?drid=4603

Image #44: “Ontario’s police watchdog clears officers involved in fatal exchange of gunfire caught on bodycam footage,” August 15, 2025 https://www.cp24.com/news/2025/08/15/ontarios-police-watchdog-clears-officers-involved-in-fatal-exchange-of-gunfire-caught-on-bodycam-footage/

Image #45: “Toronto officers cleared in shooting death of 16-year-old – SIU concludes victim fired first in wild gunfight,” The Toronto Star, Toronto, Ontario, August 16th, 2025, p. 8

The question that comes to mind is: if the corporate pot industry is addicted to calling for more raids, and the non-corporate “activist” lobby let their pro-raid statements stand while carefully avoiding any educational campaigns that might call those raids into question, how will the raids ever end?

NORML Canada sees itself as a user’s advocacy group. On their home page they say they are “committed to eliminating all civil and criminal penalties for private cannabis use.”

“NORML Canada is a non-profit, public interest, member operated and funded group, chartered at the federal level in Canada since 1978. The organization is committed to eliminating all civil and criminal penalties for private cannabis use.  The use of formal sanctions to discourage cannabis use has been costly and harmful on both a societal and individual level. Cannabis prohibition disproportionately affected marginalized groups, and the framework for legalization has failed to address these disparities to any meaningful extent. It is noteworthy that Black, Indigenous, disabled, and/or low-income people suffered the harshest effects of criminalization, yet remain underrepresented in the legal market.” (23)

Calling for raids when speaking to government and then calling for no more raids on your website is kind of greasy. It’s pretend activism, and genuine opportunism.

Image #46: “The Cannabis Act is a Fraud,” April 18, 2021, David Malmo-Levine https://pot-shot.ca/2021/04/18/the-cannabis-act-is-a-fraud-2/

The fact is, NORML seems reluctant to admit that the entire Cannabis Act is a fraud. It doesn’t protect consumers from shitty weed. It doesn’t protect teens from psychosis. It doesn’t prevent organized crime from participating in the economy. All it does is set up a cartel for the rich. And NORML has sided with the cartel. Twice.

As long as NORML Canada limits their advocacy for the poor and non-white growers, dealers and users to empty platitudes on its website, as long as they refuse to conduct an educational campaign regarding the “Reefer Madness 2.0” type myths that justifies the pot cartel, as long as they quietly, repeatedly endorse raids in the materials that somehow end up in government hands, the raids, the arrests, the trials, the incarcerations, the destroyed livelihoods and the needless deaths will continue without any national lobby group to challenge them, and those in NORML Canada who happen to also be involved in the licensed producer and/or licensed retailer economy will continue to prosper from those raids and that destruction, regardless of what their claimed intentions or vision statements indicate.

The illegal growers will have no lobby group. The illegal dealers will have no lobby group. The under-age users will have no lobby group. And even the users who are of age will miss out on all the delicious strains of cannabis grown and distributed by the Indigenous people that the cops keep seizing. The only people NORML Canada truly represent are the licensed growers and dealers.

Raid Gallery

Image #47: “POLICE RAID CANNABIS CULTURE POT SHOPS,” 24 Hours Vancouver, Vancouver, British Columbia, March 10th, 2007, p. 5

Image #48: “Video: Cannabis Culture location reopens after raid,” March 10, 2017 “The Cannabis Culture location at 461 Church Street re-opened their doors Friday afternoon, one day after being raided by police.” https://toronto.citynews.ca/video/2017/03/10/video-cannabis-culture-location-reopens-after-raid/

Image #49: “Ottawa police raid the city’s Cannabis Culture pot shop Thursday. Shares of Canada’s medical marijuana providers rose after the news.”“Marijuana stocks bounce after raids on dispensaries,” The Windsor Star, Windsor, Ontario, March 10^th, 2017, p. 13

Image #50: “COPS RAID CANNABIS CULTURE … AGAIN,” 24 Hours Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, March 23rd, 2017, p. 15

Image #51: “Majority of charges laid in Canada’s largest marijuana dispensary raid will not go to trial,” Global News, July 6, 2017 https://globalnews.ca/news/3579939/toronto-marijuana-raid-charges-withdrawn/

Image #52: “High Robbery: Canada’s Violent Cannabis Dispensary Raids,” VICE, Oct 10, 2017 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrtgKjy5MUE

Image #53: “First Nations entrepreneurs are asserting sovereignty and seizing the new cannabis economy – Six Nations cannabis dispensary owner defiant after raid: ‘Stay out of our affairs’,” CBC News, Jan 10, 2018 https://www.cbc.ca/news/indigenous/first-nations-entrepreneurs-are-asserting-sovereignty-and-seizing-the-new-cannabis-economy-1.4481747

Image #54: “First Nations entrepreneurs are asserting sovereignty and seizing the new cannabis economy – Six Nations cannabis dispensary owner defiant after raid: ‘Stay out of our affairs’,” CBC News, Jan 10, 2018 https://www.cbc.ca/news/indigenous/first-nations-entrepreneurs-are-asserting-sovereignty-and-seizing-the-new-cannabis-economy-1.4481747

Image #55: Notice the cop in the upper right corner by the counter – gun is pointed right at their heads. “First Nations entrepreneurs are asserting sovereignty and seizing the new cannabis economy – Six Nations cannabis dispensary owner defiant after raid: ‘Stay out of our affairs’,” CBC News, Jan 10, 2018 https://www.cbc.ca/news/indigenous/first-nations-entrepreneurs-are-asserting-sovereignty-and-seizing-the-new-cannabis-economy-1.4481747

Image #56: “Six Nations People’s Cannabis Coalition creates interim agreement, 6 shops open, 31 more to come,” July 13, 2020 https://dispensingfreedom.com/2020/07/13/six-nations-peoples-cannabis-coalition-creates-interim-agreement-6-shops-open-31-more-to-come/

Image #57: Parts of this video are still online but this particular image only exists, to my knowledge, online here: “Traditional Medicine,” David Malmo-Levine, June 9, 2022 https://www.cannabisculture.com/content/2022/06/09/traditional-medicine/

Image #58: “Police execute drug warrant at dispensary,” The Sachem, Caledonia, Ontario, January 18th, 2018, p. 12

Image #59: “Joint Ventures: How growers are trying to stand out in the cannabis crowd – Large-scale producers expected to face competition from home-grown weed in recreational market, CBC News, Feb 15, 2018 https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/joint-ventures-harvesting-1.4536121

Image #60: How diverse is Canada’s legal cannabis industry? Examining race and gender of its executives and directors,” 19 October 2020 https://idpc.net/publications/2020/10/how-diverse-is-canada-s-legal-cannabis-industry-examining-race-and-gender-of-its-executives-and-directors Image 61 in this article: “Traditional Medicine,” David Malmo-Levine, June 9, 2022 https://www.cannabisculture.com/content/2022/06/09/traditional-medicine/

Image #61: “VIDEO: Vancouver Police seize cannabis from DTES overdose prevention site,” Sep 15 2018, https://dailyhive.com/grow/video-vancouver-police-seize-cannabis-dtes-overdose-prevention-site

Image #62: “Toronto police raid 5 illegal dispensaries,” October 19, 2018 https://globalnews.ca/video/4575101/toronto-police-raid-5-illegaldispensaries

Image #63: “Toronto police raid 5 illegal dispensaries,” October 19, 2018 https://globalnews.ca/video/4575101/toronto-police-raid-5-illegaldispensaries

Image #64: “Winnipegger sentenced for possession of 85 grams of cannabis a month after legalization – Judges cites ‘dearth of precedent’ in coming up with 10-month sentence,” CBC News, Apr 02, 2019 https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/winnipeg-cannabis-act-trafficking-1.5082152

Image #65: Image originally from here: “Indigenous Man Sentenced To 10 Months In Jail For Weed Possession Under The Cannabis Act,” April 3, 2019 https://www.vice.com/en/article/indigenous-man-sentenced-to-10-months-in-jail-for-weed-possession-under-the-cannabis-act/ Image archived here: “Traditional Medicine,” David Malmo-Levine, June 9, 2022 https://www.cannabisculture.com/content/2022/06/09/traditional-medicine/

Image #66: “Protestors rally outside Sudbury courthouse after First Nation cannabis dispensary raids,” September 18, 2019 https://www.ctvnews.ca/northern-ontario/article/protestors-rally-outside-sudbury-courthouse-after-first-nation-cannabis-dispensary-raids/

Image #67: “Protestors rally outside Sudbury courthouse after First Nation cannabis dispensary raids,” September 18, 2019 https://www.ctvnews.ca/northern-ontario/article/protestors-rally-outside-sudbury-courthouse-after-first-nation-cannabis-dispensary-raids/

Image #68: “Staff members beaten by Police during violent raid at Six Nations dispensary [Video]” October 21, 2019 https://dispensingfreedom.com/2019/10/21/staff-injured-during-raid-on-six-nations-dispensary/

Image #69: The Stalk Market. Instagram. Archived here: “Traditional Medicine,” David Malmo-Levine, June 9, 2022 https://www.cannabisculture.com/content/2022/06/09/traditional-medicine/

Image #70: “From Under The Influence with Marijuana Man: Keeping the Community Safe…One Raid at a Time!!!” Wednesday, October 23, 2019 https://pot.tv/video/2019/10/23/from-under-the-influence-with-marijuana-man-keeping-the-community-safe-one-raid-at-a-time/

Image #71: “Provincial government’s pot squad targeting illegal marijuana shops,” Vancouver Province, Vancouver, British Columbia, December 8th, 2019, p. 4

Image #72: “Sherman Hill discusses the October 10th Cannabis Meeting in Garden River,” Dispensing Freedom, December 13, 2019 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6hgnnnMoXY

Image #73: “Pot shop on Tsleil-Waututh land raided – The owner of an unlicensed cannabis shop that had been operating in contravention of provincial regulations on Tsleil-Waututh Nation in North Vancouver is crying foul after provincial inspectors raided the store on Friday, shutting it down.” Dec 17, 2019 https://www.nsnews.com/local-news/pot-shop-on-tsleil-waututh-land-raided-3113293

Image #74: “Province’s pot police strike again with cannabis raids in the city,” The Windsor Star, Windsor, Ontario, January 16th, 2020, p. 3

Image #75: “Chiefs meeting to discuss ‘next steps’ after dispensary raid,” The Daily Gleaner, Fredericton, New Brunswick, March 31st, 2021, p. 5

Image #76: “Trio arrested during raid on First Nation dispensary,” The Tribune, Campbellton, New Brunswick, April 2nd, 2021, p. A2

Image #77: “Tupa’s Joint goes mobile as B.C. tries to shut down Indigenous pot shop,” The Discourse, Apr 25, 2021 https://www.aptnnews.ca/national-news/tupas-joint-goes-mobile-as-b-c-tries-to-shut-down-indigenous-pot-shop/

Image #78: “Court extends time for police to retain items seized in dispensary raid,” The Northern Light, Bathurst, New Brunswick, September 21st, 2001, p. B5

Image #79: “COLE HARBOUR, UNCEDED MI’KMAQ TERRITORY – On Wednesday, Oct 6th, the RCMP escorted Charles Naugle, a Fuel and Tobacco Officer of Service Nova Scotia and Internal Services, into Cole Harbour where he and another officer proceeded to confiscate tobacco products sold at the High Grade Smoke Shop.” “RCMP and Provincial Tax Collectors raid Sovereign Mi’kmaq smoke shop,” Dispensing Freedom, Oct 6, 2022 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uakZwEeL13U

Image #80: “Provincial officers raid Victoria cannabis club for third time,” Saanich News, Victoria, British Columbia, March 29th, 2023, p. 10

Image #81: “Traditional Medicine Part 2: UNDRIP and Biopiracy October 17, 2023 David Malmo-Levine https://pot-shot.ca/2023/10/17/traditional-medicine-part-2-undrip-and-biopiracy/

Image #82: “RCMP raid 4 Vancouver Island cannabis shops,” February 15th, 2024 https://globalnews.ca/video/10298718/rcmp-raid-4-vancouver-island-cannabis-shops

Image #83: “Government unit raids K’ómoks First Nation cannabis dispensaries,” The Courtenay Comix Valley Record, Courtenay, British Columbia, February 21st, 2024, p. 3

Image #84: “Traditional Medicine Part 5: Two Indigenous Canadian Court Challenges About Cannabis,” May 12, 2024, David Malmo-Levine https://pot-shot.ca/2024/05/12/traditional-medicine-part-5-two-upcoming-indigenous-undrip-traditional-medicine-canadian-court-challenges-about-cannabis/

Image #85: “Cannabis is emerging as a new battleground over Mi’kmaw rights – Some unauthorized store owners are asserting they have a treaty right to sell cannabis,” CBC News, Apr 02, 2024 https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/cannabis-emerging-new-battleground-over-mikmaw-rights-1.7151120

Image #86: “Cannabis is emerging as a new battleground over Mi’kmaw rights – Some unauthorized store owners are asserting they have a treaty right to sell cannabis,” CBC News, Apr 02, 2024 https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/cannabis-emerging-new-battleground-over-mikmaw-rights-1.7151120

Image #87: “Treaty Texts – 1752 Peace and Friendship Treaty” https://rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca/eng/1100100029040/1581293867988

Image #88: “Treaty Texts – 1752 Peace and Friendship Treaty” https://rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca/eng/1100100029040/1581293867988

Image #89: “OPP raid Indigenous-branded smoke shops for a second time,” The Standard, St. Catherines, Ontario, June 8th, 2024, p. 2

Image #90: “Cannabis industry seeks help from feds to confront problems,” The Province, August 27th, 2024, p. 9

Image #91: “A police crackdown on Mi’kmaq-run cannabis shops in Nova Scotia is reigniting debate over Indigenous treaty rights. The RCMP calls it organized crime — but operators say it’s protected trade, rooted in a nearly 300-year-old agreement.” “Dispensary crackdowns reignite Mi’kmaq treaty rights fight,” CBC News: The National, May 9, 2025 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eg3XNbfI2xo

Image #92: “A police crackdown on Mi’kmaq-run cannabis shops in Nova Scotia is reigniting debate over Indigenous treaty rights. The RCMP calls it organized crime — but operators say it’s protected trade, rooted in a nearly 300-year-old agreement.” “Dispensary crackdowns reignite Mi’kmaq treaty rights fight,” CBC News: The National, May 9, 2025 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eg3XNbfI2xo

Image #93: “Legal Cannabis in Canada – 7 Years Later Tracking public perceptions and support for the cannabis industry, 2025.” https://www.cannabis-council.ca/industry-news/cannabis-at-the-crossroads-t23rm

Image #94: “Mi’kmaw staff member: ‘It looked like he was willing to kill someone over weed, like he was ready to pull out his gun and shoot me.’” July 31, 2025 https://dispensingfreedom.com/2025/07/31/mikmaw-staff-member-it-looked-like-he-was-willing-to-kill-someone-over-weed-like-he-was-ready-to-pull-out-his-gun-and-shoot-me/

Image #95: “During raid RCMP back Millbrook First Nation Truckhouse staff into corner with hand on gun,” Micmac Rights, Jul 31, 2025 “Footage of the inside of the store as RCMP raid on July 30th, 2025.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hM4gyH0c7Ig

Image #96: Cannabis Council of Canada, “The Cannabis Council of Canada is the national organization of Canada’s licensed producers.” https://x.com/Cannabis_Canada

Image #97: “Digby RCMP used unlawful ‘fingerprinting warrant’ to jail Mi’kmaw man for 23 hours in ‘racial crackdown’ on treaty trade and commerce,” January 14, 2026 https://dispensingfreedom.com/2026/01/14/digby-rcmp-used-unlawful-fingerprinting-warrant-to-jail-mikmaw-man-for-23-hours-in-racial-crackdown-on-treaty-trade-and-commerce/

Image #98: “Digby RCMP used unlawful ‘fingerprinting warrant’ to jail Mi’kmaw man for 23 hours in ‘racial crackdown’ on treaty trade and commerce,” January 14, 2026 https://dispensingfreedom.com/2026/01/14/digby-rcmp-used-unlawful-fingerprinting-warrant-to-jail-mikmaw-man-for-23-hours-in-racial-crackdown-on-treaty-trade-and-commerce/

Image #99: “They’re ‘trying to break me,’ says N.S. trading post owner of RCMP cannabis raids,” Global News, January 21, 2026 https://globalnews.ca/news/11622501/nova-scotia-cannabis-raids/

Image #100: “N.S. RCMP raids five cannabis stores,” CTV News, Mar 4, 2026 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJZqcHx_dDo

Image #101: “First Nations protest on 3 N.S. highways as tensions escalate over cannabis raids – Traffic on Highway 102 slowed by protests from Millbrook and Sipekne’katik First Nations,” CBC News, Apr 02, 2026 https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/cape-breton-highway-102-route-4-blocked-cannabis-raids-9.7151448

Image #102: Millbrook’s Official Community Site Thursday, April 2, 2026 at 1:00 PM “Millbrook First Nation responds to government raids on cannabis stores” https://www.facebook.com/MillbrookFirstNation/posts/%EF%B8%8F-millbrook-chief-and-council-respond-to-government-raids-on-cannabis-storesplea/1288646143451172/

Image #103: Micmac Rights Association, April 2, 2026 at 1:20 PM https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=936552029237888&set=pcb.936580279235063

Image #104: “First Nations set up highway protests after Nova Scotia RCMP raid Potlotek cannabis dispensary,” April 3, 2026 https://www.halifaxexaminer.ca/dismantling-democracy/first-nations-set-up-highway-protests-after-nova-scotia-rcmp-raid-potlotek-cannabis-dispensary/

Image #105: “Raid on Indigenous pot shop leads to boisterous protest,” The Daily Gleaner, Fredericton, New Brunswick, April 11th, 2026, p. 7

Image #106: “Police raid Victoria Cannabis Buyers Club one day after 4/20,” April 21, 2026 https://vicnews.com/2026/04/21/police-raid-victoria-cannabis-buyers-club-one-day-after-4-20/

Image #107: “Amid Nova Scotia raids, senators hear calls for Indigenous sovereignty over cannabis,” May 1, 2026, From APTN https://dispensingfreedom.com/2026/05/01/amid-nova-scotia-raids-senators-hear-calls-for-indigenous-sovereignty-over-cannabis/

Image #108: Raj Grover, “Founder, President and CEO at High Tide Inc. TSX.V: HITI Nasdaq: HITI Business Strategist. Serial entrepreneur. From Mumbai to Calgary.” https://x.com/RajGrover_HITI

Image #109: “Canada’s illegal cannabis market leads to national organization suspending operations,” The Canadian Press, June 22, 2026 https://www.ctvnews.ca/atlantic/article/national-cannabis-organization-suspends-operations-citing-active-illegal-market/

Image #110: “Canada’s illegal cannabis market leads to national organization suspending operations,” The Canadian Press, June 22, 2026 https://www.ctvnews.ca/atlantic/article/national-cannabis-organization-suspends-operations-citing-active-illegal-market/

Image #111: “Nova Scotia raises cannabis fines,” CTV News, Jun 25, 2026 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2UoQrEdRKU

Image #112: “All charges dropped on Cody Ward in another MRA legal victory,” July 22, 2026 https://micmacrights.com/2026/07/22/all-charges-dropped-on-cody-ward-in-another-mra-legal-victory/

Image #113: “$2.8M in illicit cannabis seized on Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory in eastern Ontario,” September 16, 2026 https://www.ctvnews.ca/ottawa/article/28m-in-illicit-cannabis-seized-on-tyendinaga-mohawk-territory-in-eastern-ontario/

Image #114: Raj Grover, “Founder, President and CEO at High Tide Inc. TSX.V: HITI Nasdaq: HITI Business Strategist. Serial entrepreneur. From Mumbai to Calgary.” https://x.com/RajGrover_HITI

Image #115: Canopy Growth, “Bettering lives through cannabis. We’re a consumer-centric global leader built on cultivation excellence, quality, trust, & discipline.” https://x.com/CanopyGrowth

Image #116: “Ontario is proposing a crackdown on illegal cannabis stores. Legal retailers say it is long overdue,” November 01, 2026 https://www.ctvnews.ca/toronto/article/ontario-is-proposing-a-crackdown-on-illegal-cannabis-stores-legal-retailers-say-it-is-long-overdue/

Image #117: “Ottawa Police Raid Dispensary Twice in One Week,” November 2, 2026 https://stratcann.com/enforcement/ottawa-police-raid-dispensary-twice-in-one-week/

Image #118: “Mi’kmaq cannabis convictions overturned: Nova Scotia Supreme Court quashes convictions entered by Judge Ronda van der Hoek,” November 6, 2026 https://dispensingfreedom.com/2026/11/06/mikmaq-cannabis-convictions-overturned-nova-scotia-supreme-court-quashes-convictions-entered-by-judge-ronda-van-der-hoek/

Image #119: https://norml-canada.org

Citations

1. https://norml-canada.org
2. “’Hype, hope and dreams’: B.C.’s craft cannabis industry stunted,” Jan. 31, 2022 https://www.ctvnews.ca/vancouver/article/hype-hope-and-dreams-bcs-craft-cannabis-industry-stunted/
3. “C3 Report Card: Not Done Yet,” Oct 21st, 2021 https://cannabisretailer.ca/2021/c3-report-card-not-done-yet/
4. “’Nanny state’ Canada gets ‘D’ grade for cannabis legalization In a report by several industry groups, its authors continue to argue for less restriction to battle the still-thriving illicit market,” Oct 18, 2021 https://mugglehead.com/nanny-state-canada-gets-d-grade-for-cannabis-legalization/
5. “The Raid Lobby,” September 25, 2022, David Malmo-Levine https://pot-shot.ca/2022/09/25/the-raid-lobby/
6. “Jennawae Cavion, founder of Calyx + Trichomes in Kingston, Ontario, says she understands some shift workers could benefit from earlier hours. Still, she questions how much of a real need this is.” “Ontario cannabis stores can now open as early as 7 am,” May 1, 2026 https://stratcann.com/news/ontario-cannabis-stores-can-now-open-as-early-as-7-am/
7. https://norml-canada.org/norml-canada-statement-of-principles/
8. https://norml-canada.org/norml-canada-statement-of-principles/
9. “G21-P041 Relieve Law Enforcement and the Criminal Justice System of the Portfolio of Cannabis Prosecution: The Green Party of Canada will remove hemp, recreational, and medicinal cannabis from the purview of law enforcement, ending arrests and raids on cannabis growers, users and sellers. The Green Party of Canada will grant amnesty to those charged with, and expunge criminal records of former cannabis convictions.” GPC MEMBERSHIP APPROVED POLICY, June 2023 https://cdn.greenparty.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/GPC-Policy-Book-EN-June-2023.pdf
10. “Legislative Review of the Cannabis Act: Final Report of the Expert Panel,” Health Canada, March 2024 https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/publications/drugs-medication/legislative-review-cannabis-act-final-report-expert-panel.html#a10
11. Jennawae Cavion, NORML Canada, in a letter to the House of Commons, February 11th, 2026
12. “NORML Canada says recent cannabis petition lacks evidence,” February 11, 2026 https://stratcann.com/news/norml-canada-says-recent-cannabis-petition-lacks-evidence/
13. “Government of Canada creates a forum to discuss challenges in the Canadian legal cannabis industry,” February 23, 2024 https://www.canada.ca/en/innovation-science-economic-development/news/2024/02/government-of-canada-creates-a-forum-to-discuss-challenges-in-the-canadian-legal-cannabis-industry.html
14. https://lobbycanada.gc.ca/app/secure/ocl/lrs/do/advSrch?searchCommand=navigate&time=1793476495832
15. “Traditional Medicine,” David Malmo-Levine, June 9, 2022 https://www.cannabisculture.com/content/2022/06/09/traditional-medicine/
16. “British Columbia court tosses suit over cannabis store enforcement on reserves – A group of licensed cannabis retailers in British Columbia lost their bid to be compensated for the province’s alleged failure to ‘adequately’ enforce provincial licensing requirements on Indigenous reserves.” September 21, 2023 https://mjbizdaily.com/news/british-columbia-court-tosses-suit-over-cannabis-store-enforcement-on-reserves/377673
17. “Canada’s Cannabis Experiment is Struggling: Here’s Why,” H&H Ep. 26, The Honourable and The Hack, June 9th, 2026 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U90JoCNuJMg
18. Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction, Cannabis, p. 13 https://www.ccsa.ca/sites/default/files/2020-05/CCSA-Canadian-Drug-Summary-Cannabis-2020-en.pdf
19. “Ontario police seize over $143M worth of illegal cannabis plants in under four months,” October 22, 2020 https://www.cp24.com/news/ontario-police-seize-over-143m-worth-of-illegal-cannabis-plants-in-under-four-months-1.5156164
20. “Police-reported crime statistics in Canada,” 2019, Greg Moreau, Brianna Jaffray and Amelia Armstrong, Canadian Centre for Justice and Community Safety Statistics Release date: October 29, 2020 https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/85-002-x/2020001/article/00010-eng.htm
21. “Insights on Canadian Society Trends in police-reported drug crime in Canada,” October 29, 2025 https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/75-006-x/2025003/article/00003-eng.htm
22. “Enforcement actions and statistics,” Last updated on October 1, 2026 https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/public-safety/cannabis/csu/enforcement-actions-and-statistics
23. https://norml-canada.org