Aggravating circumstances
According to the Criminal Code, a judge must take into account “aggravating” factors specific to drug-related crimes.
An aggravating factor is something that makes the crime more serious in the eyes of the law.
These aggravating factures include using or carrying a weapon at the time of the crime, threatening or using violence at the time of the crime, involvement of minors as accomplices or customers, committing the crime on or near school grounds or near an area where people under the age of 18 spend time, and a previous record.