The Marijuana Party (French: Parti Marijuana) is a federal political party in Canada primarily focused on cannabis-related issues. Established in 2000 and headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, the party champions cannabis rights and advocates for cannabis law reforms.
It operates under the leadership of Blair Longley.
The Marijuana Party's primary agenda revolves around cannabis legalization and reform. Although cannabis was legalized in Canada on October 17, 2018, the party remains critical of some aspects of the legislation, advocating for changes to better represent cannabis consumers, growers, and small cannabis-based businesses.
The party does not maintain any other official policies, allowing its candidates to express diverse views on various political issues.
Unlike traditional political parties, the Marijuana Party is decentralized, lacking by-laws, a charter, or a constitution to govern its operations. Its Electoral District Associations function autonomously, and candidates appear on election ballots under the short form "Radical Marijuana," similar to independent candidates.
Concerns About Prohibition 2.0: In June 2018, Blair Longley, the party's leader, voiced concerns about Canada's legalization efforts, referring to them as "prohibition 2.0." Longley criticized the legislation for favoring affluent individuals who can afford expensive marijuana, while the young and poor face greater restrictions. Specific issues include landlords in Alberta and Nova Scotia being permitted to ban cannabis use and cultivation on their properties, and Calgary's bylaw prohibiting public pot consumption.
The Marijuana Party criticizes the limit of four marijuana plants per household, contrasting it with the more lenient regulations for brewing beer and wine or growing tobacco. Longley also highlighted harsh penalties for violating drug laws, such as up to 14 years in prison for providing marijuana to minors or selling it without a license.
Concerns extend to the restriction of cannabis sales to government-run monopolies, which favor large producers and disadvantage small businesses. The party also questions the quality of marijuana from commercial producers and sees potential for the black market to offer better products at lower prices.
Since the announcement of Canada's legalization plans, the Marijuana Party has struggled financially, operating on a "broken shoestring budget" that continues to dwindle. This financial strain raises doubts about the party's ability to remain registered, as it requires 250 members' signatures to be registered with Elections Canada.
The Marijuana Party is also known as Marijuana.