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Between 1969 and 1973, the LeDain Royal Commission extensively studied the non-medical use of drugs in Canada. The majority opinion of the commission recommended repealing the prohibition of possession of marijuana and the prohibition of cultivation for personal use. The report, also points out that marijuana was criminalized "without any apparent scientific basis nor any real sense of social urgency."

In the early 1980's, Canada had the highest drug arrest rate in the world due mostly to strict enforcement of laws against cannabis users.

1997, Judge Patrick Sheppard of the Ontario Court of Justice found Toronto resident Terry Parker not guilty of possession and cultivation of marijuana, by reason of medical necessity. This ground breaking decision helped pave the way for legal medical marijuana in Canada

March 3, 1999 Federal Health Minister Alan Rock authorizes clinical trials of medical marijuana, guidelines for its safe use and access to a safe supply.

1999 Federal Health Minister Alan Rock issues the first two legal exemptions for medical marijuana to Jim Wakeford and Jean Charles Pariseau.

2001 - Health Canada enacts the "marijuana medical access regulations" (MMAR) with the intention of establishing a framework to allow the use of marijuana by people suffering from serious illness where conventional treatments have failed.

September 4, 2002 - The Senate Special Committee on Illegal Drugs released its final report on cannabis. The 600 page report was the result of a comprehensive two-year study, rigorous research and public meetings. It’s findings were similar to The Le Dain Royal Commission and specifically states: “The (Le Dain) Commission concluded that the criminalization of cannabis had no scientific basis. Thirty years later, we (The Senate) confirm this conclusion and add that continued criminalization of cannabis remains unjustified based on scientific data on the danger it poses.” The Senate Special Committee found, in essence, that marijuana should be legalized.

In January 2003, the Ontario Superior Court ruled that the Medical Marijuana Access Regulations failed to provide a legal supply of marijuana for those persons entitled to possess it for medicinal purposes. Therefore, the regulations were deemed constitutionally invalid with no force or effect. The decision was suspended for six months in order to give Health Canada time to remedy the situation.

... to be continued