Despite some politicians hailing the Senate鈥檚 decision to pass the federal government鈥檚 plan to legalize cannabis as a 鈥渉istoric鈥� moment for Canada, not everyone is happy about the impending legislation.

Pot activist Jodie Emery says she is 鈥渄istressed鈥� by the Liberal government鈥檚 Bill C-45.

The law, which still requires Royal Assent by the Crown before it can be enacted, is expected to come into force as early as mid-September. It will allow Canadian adults to legally possess and use small amounts of recreational marijuana and sets out parametres on growing, distributing, selling, and possessing the drug, along with safety standards.

Emery, who is married to the self-proclaimed 鈥淧rince of Pot鈥� Marc Emery, says that the headlines concerning Canada鈥檚 legalization of cannabis are ultimately good, but the legislation鈥檚 details leave much to be desired.

鈥淸Bill] C-45 introduces 45 new cannabis offences with maximums going up to 14 years, equating cannabis to pornography with children, terrorism, and assaulting police,鈥� she told 麻豆影视 Channel on Wednesday.

The pot activist listed fines for smoking cannabis in public, penalties for having home-grown plants visible in B.C., and eviction for smoking in a rental apartment as examples of restrictive policies under the new plan.

鈥淭here are so many, so many problems that I find it very hard to celebrate today being a criminal for cannabis alongside hundreds of thousands of others,鈥� she explained.

Emery and her husband were convicted of a number of drug-related charges in 2017. The couple owned the brand Cannabis Culture, under which a number of franchised pot dispensaries operated. They were fined $195,000 each, and given two years鈥� probation with conditions.

鈥淔or me and so many others, we wake up today seeing nothing different. We鈥檙e still criminals in the eyes of the government,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檓 still being punished.鈥�

Emery said Bill C-45 fails to explain what will happen to those who have already been convicted of cannabis-related crimes.

鈥淭he civil liberties advocates, the lawyers, the people who represent marginalized, Indigenous youth, the poor, all of the victims of prohibition, we aren鈥檛 celebrating today,鈥� she said. 鈥淲here鈥檚 our apology? Where鈥檚 our amnesty? It鈥檚 nowhere to be found.鈥�

Bill Blair, parliamentary secretary to the ministers of health and justice and the government鈥檚 point person on the cannabis file, said they鈥檙e currently focused on repealing and replacing the existing legislation before they can turn their attention to Canadians who already have criminal records for pot-related offences.

鈥淭he law remains in effect until it鈥檚 repealed and replaced鈥� any discussion of those records can鈥檛 take place until that process is complete,鈥� he told reporters in the foyer of the House of Commons on Wednesday. 鈥淚t will then be possible for the government to turn its mind to the issue of the existing records or any disparity that exists there.鈥�

When asked if the government was 鈥渙pen鈥� to the possibility of pardoning those with existing records, Blair responded that it was 鈥減remature鈥� to say.