Its back to school and we offer our advice to new law students - but it really applies to just about every one.  The short version - don't be a dick.

But before we tell you how to succeed in school we break down the Liberals' marijuana legislation - Bill C-45.

There is some promise in Bill C-45 but there are also serious flaws and room for improvement.

The Legalization bill does not go far enough in removing marijuana from the Criminal Code and this failing diminishes the bill’s potentially positive results. Bill C-45 is an unnecessary complex piece of legislation that leaves intact the criminalization of marijuana in many circumstances.

Canadian drug policy and legislation is in need of reform. The war on drugs has been a complete and abject failure. The social and financial cost of marijuana (and all drug) criminalization outweighs any illusory benefit. Every year, scores of young men and women are killed over relatively small amounts of marijuana — killed because marijuana is illegal, making it the focus of a vastly profitable and violent black market.

Bill C-45 may limit, but it does not end this problem.

Even worse Bill C-45 continues marijuana criminalization in many circumstances and imposes unreasonable penalties on a relatively low-risk vice. In the real world, a drug record means limited employment opportunities, travel difficulties, and many other devastating collateral consequences.

So there are big issues - head over to the blog at michaelspratt.com to read more.