Due to looming changes to federal law, the Advertiser will no longer be printing the names of those charged with marijuana possession.
Last year, the federal government introduced legislation to legalize and regulate recreational cannabis.
The Cannabis Act, effective on July 1, create rules for producing, possessing and selling cannabis.
As such, the Advertiser, will no longer publish the names of those charged with marijuana possession under 30g. The paper’s policy for all other drug-related offences remains unchanged.
“We didn’t think it was fair for someone charged on June 30 – or February 30 for that matter – to have their name published in the paper, when the same ‘offence’ will be legal on July 1,” said Advertiser editor Chris Daponte. “While police will continue to enforce the existing law – as they should – we will no longer be printing those (marijuana possession under 30g) reports, effective immediately.”
In fact, the Advertiser has not printed those reports for several months, but officials felt it was important to explain the policy change to readers and residents.
