Re: "'Prince of Pot' defiant after arrest in Montreal" (Montreal Gazette, Dec. 19) I am dumbfounded that even my brightest friends call Marc and Jodie Emery's move to open six marijuana dispensaries and get arrested a brash move. It's really just a well-crafted publicity stunt - cheap advertising. But there's something much less talked about: How will we protect our kids in a legalized marijuana environment? Fact: 90 per cent of adult addicts started off by smoking marijuana before the age of 18. [continues 90 words]
Part 1 in an occasional letter series exploring marijuana use and legalization The federal government has indicated that it will introduce legislation in the spring 2017 session of the House of Commons making the cultivation, sale and consumption of marijuana legal in Canada, to take effect in 2018. What can we expect in this braver new world of marijuana legality? In the vernacular, it will be legal to grow "weed" in Whitbourne and to have a "toke" in the confines of your own domicile. [continues 198 words]
Experts divided on when youth should be able to smoke weed Experts are debating the age limit for buying marijuana, with one Edmonton group saying a legal age on par with alcohol could ease the crowding of prisons and remand centres. "There's a lot of people that are in remand, that are in provincial institutions, for minor drug offences," said Chris Hay, executive director of the John Howard Society, a non-profit advocating for prison reform. "I think this will definitely help to stave that off, or prevent that a little bit." [continues 230 words]
Whatever the legal age becomes in this country, governments should launch powerful, long-term public awareness campaigns to shatter the belief that marijuana is a safe high. When the recreational use of marijuana becomes legal in Canada in the next few years, how old should you have to be to join in the fun? This issue - the legal age for buying and consuming cannabis - is the biggest single challenge facing the federal Liberals as they rewrite the law on this popular, but potentially harmful, drug. [continues 471 words]
When the recreational use of marijuana becomes legal in Canada in the next few years, how old should you have to be to join in the fun? This issue - the legal age for buying and consuming cannabis - is the biggest single challenge facing the federal Liberals as they rewrite the law on this popular, but potentially harmful, drug. A federal task force this week provided 80 recommendations for opening up the market for recreational pot. Most of the suggestions, which include permitting storefront and mail-order sales as well as allowing individuals to buy or carry up to 30 grams for personal use, are both reasonable and workable. [continues 411 words]
When the recreational use of marijuana becomes legal in Canada in the next few years, how old should you have to be to join in the fun? This issue - the legal age for buying and consuming cannabis - is the biggest single challenge facing the federal Liberals as they rewrite the law on this popular, but potentially harmful, drug. A federal task force this week provided 80 recommendations for opening up the market for recreational pot. Most of the suggestions, which include permitting storefront and mail-order sales as well as allowing individuals to buy or carry up to 30 grams for personal use, are both reasonable and workable. But the recommendation to allow sales to people as soon as they turn 18 is troubling because of the harm that medical experts say would result. The age should be higher. [continues 358 words]
With the legalization of the recreational use of marijuana expected to become a reality in Canada in the next couple of years, there are a number of important issues to be considered as we proceed in a sensible way - in other words, with caution. This past week a federal task force released a report with a lengthy list of recommendations on how Canada should move forward with legalizing marijuana. One that causes immediate concern is the task force's troubling recommendation that would allow sales of the drug to anyone aged 18 or over. [continues 354 words]
When the recreational use of marijuana becomes legal in Canada in the next few years, how old should you have to be to join in the fun? This issue - the legal age for buying and consuming cannabis - is the biggest single challenge facing the federal Liberals as they rewrite the law on this popular, but potentially harmful, drug. A federal task force this week provided 80 recommendations for opening up the market for recreational pot. Most of the suggestions, which include permitting storefront and mail-order sales as well as allowing individuals to buy or carry up to 30 grams for personal use, are both reasonable and workable. [continues 405 words]
We based [ our recommendation] on available medical and scientific literature and the concerns we had. Jeff Blackmer VP of medical professionalism at the Canadian Medical Association Members of Canada's medical community are disappointed over a federal task force's recommendation to allow cannabis sales to those 18 and over, with some warning unrestricted access could have a detrimental impact on developing brains. As the government moves toward legalization, it also faces the enormous challenge of combatting the widely held mistaken belief that marijuana is harmless, according to a number of medical organizations and substance use experts. [continues 636 words]
The decision is to take effect in August, but evidence counters the notions that the drug is beneficial and that there aren't alternatives. As a staff psychiatrist working at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center, I was alarmed to hear that the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) is adding post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a qualifying condition for medical marijuana use starting in August 2017. During a press event on Dec. 1, Dr. Ed Ehlinger, commissioner of MDH, was quoted as saying, "PTSD presented the strongest case for potential benefits and a lack of treatment alternatives." [continues 416 words]
Defending the government's classification of marijuana as one of the most dangerous drugs, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration declares on its website that pot causes mental illness and lung cancer and leads youths to heroin and cocaine. But an advocacy group says the DEA, in a legal filing in August, said it found no evidence to support any of those conclusions. The group, Americans for Safe Access, has asked the agency to remove discredited claims from its Web page. [continues 522 words]
Using marijuana could help some alcoholics and people addicted to opioids kick their habits, a UBC study has found. "Research suggests that people may be using cannabis as an exit drug to reduce the use of substances that are potentially more harmful, such as opioid pain medication," says the study's lead investigator Zach Walsh, an associate professor of psychology at UBC's Okanagan campus. This comprehensive systematic review of research on the medical cannabis use and mental health also found some evidence that cannabis may help with symptoms of depression, PTSD and social anxiety. However, the review concluded that cannabis use might not be recommended for conditions such as bipolar disorder and psychosis. [continues 230 words]
What's in today's weed? It's what's missing that might count the most. The CBC's Marketplace tested the levels of some mind-altering chemicals in marijuana sold in Toronto dispensaries. The strains tested had much more THC - the active ingredient that provides pot's high - than the weed of decades past. Some strains reached as high at 30% THC; much higher than 3%-4% common in pot in the 1970s. [continues 368 words]
Remember the old "gateway drug" theory that marijuana leads to harder drugs like cocaine or meth? Now researchers at the University of British Columbia believe the idea might actually work in reverse. A new study touted as one of the "most comprehensive" ever suggests that drug users - particularly those addicted to opioids and alcohol - could benefit from using marijuana as a reverse "stepping stone" away from more dangerous substances. According to UBC associate professor of psychology Zach Walsh, "research suggests that people may be using cannabis as an exit drug to reduce use of substances that are potentially more harmful, such as opioid pain medication." [continues 71 words]
Canadians, especially lawmakers, gleefully rushing headlong to legalize marijuana should pause to consider the heartbreaking stabbing death of 13-year-old Letisha Reimer, as innocent a crime victim as one can imagine. Gabriel Brandon Klein, the 21-year-old homeless man from Alberta charged with second-degree murder in the death of the Abbotsford Senior Secondary School student, and aggravated assault in the non-fatal stabbing of a 14-year-old girl in the Nov. 1 attack, was a heavy pot smoker who recently "became manic, paranoid and frightened," some of his friends told CBC. [continues 650 words]
The legalization of retail marijuana stores two years ago has had profound impacts on the city and county of Pueblo. Some good. Some bad. Now, the time has come for Pueblo voters to decide whether the benefits outweigh the negatives. For months, The Pueblo Chieftain has been intensely studying this issue, both with special and ongoing news reporting, and also with private editorial board discussions with those for and against retail marijuana stores and grow operations. It is an understatement to say the issue is complicated. So bear with us as we try today to discuss the essential concerns. [continues 1593 words]
One of Justin Trudeau's flashiest policies has been his promise to legalize marijuana. Taking advantage of 4/20 this past April, his government announced that it will be instated in the spring of 2017-only one year later. We're halfway through that time, and his policy remains vague and shallow. Trudeau is waiting on results from the Task Force on Cannabis Legalization and Regulation, but the lack of information this close to its proposed implementation is unsettling. One of the most glaring gaps is that the Liberal government's website doesn't explain how it plans to keep the drug out of the hands of youth-it offers no details, and only asks for a signature in support. When discussing how legalization should be accomplished, Trudeau must clarify how he intends to protect youth from excessive marijuana use and be committed to educating them on the adverse health effects and safety risks. [continues 668 words]
Re: Impaired driving laws a speed bump to legalize pot. I just read where road deaths have doubled in Washington State since it legalized pot a few years ago. That being said, in promising to legalize this narcotic for votes, Prime Minister Trudeau simply ignored that no road test existed to test for intoxication by inhaling this drug. Another major problem was recently highlighted by the Canadian Medical Association, which declared nobody under 21 should be able to buy this narcotic because of the real risk of them suffering psychosis and other mental issues if consumed at a young age. I sure wish the Trudeau government would be half the effort it is putting into legalized marijuana into growing our economy and creating jobs! Larry Comeau (Can Trudeau walk and chew gum at the same time?) [end]
Modern medicine has evolved greatly over the years in treating cancer and other illnesses. We have radiation and chemotherapy to reduce tumour growths, we have opioids to decrease pain and there are a number of over the counter drugs we can buy when we're feeling under the weather. But what about using marijuana in treatments for life threatening diseases and other life-altering ailments? It's not talked about very openly, in fact many who use cannabis oil tend to keep it under wraps, said Don Keith, a medical marijuana license holder in Petrolia. That's why he has planned a discussion group at the Petrolia library on Friday, Oct. 28, to offer support and a safe place to talk about using medical marijuana without ridicule or judgment. [continues 911 words]
Nevadans will vote in coming days on legalizing the recreational use of marijuana here, as four other states have already done. Both advocates and opponents have made strident cases to support their views. However, the two camps cite data that appears to conflict. We have mixed views on this initiative, but we are interested in informational clarity. So, we were delighted recently to read an analysis of the objective trends by Harvard economics professor Jeffrey Miron and his co-authors. They use recent data from Colorado, Washington, Oregon and Alaska to dispel many myths propagated by both sides. [continues 622 words]
