B.C. lobbying to preserve producers' licences as hectic spring looms While the New Democrats prepare to do their share on marijuana legalization, they are also lobbying Ottawa to preserve the province's position as one of the leading producers of what has been called B.C.'s largest cash crop. "The reality is this," said solicitor general Mike Farnworth, lead minister on the file for B.C. "We have had in this province an industry that's been in place for a very long time. Some of it underpins the economy, for example, no surprise, in the Kootenays, certain parts of Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands and the coast." [continues 837 words]
Doctors of B.C. is asking the provincial government to consider banning individuals from growing recreational pot at home when it becomes legal in July. The group was one of more than 130 stakeholders offering feedback to the B.C. government as part of its consultation on cannabis regulation and distribution. The variety of submissions reflects the complex decisions government faces. Doctors of B.C. provided a list of "considerations" since there isn't enough evidence to make a strong recommendation, said president-elect Dr. Eric Cadesky. [continues 473 words]
The busywork of readying the country for legalized cannabis continues apace, and Ottawa has gotten around to mapping out the murky territory that is stoned driving. Proposed legislative changes would create a two-tiered approach to setting the maximum amount of THC, cannabis's main psychoactive element, allowable in drivers' blood. Motorists measured with two to five nanograms of THC per millilitre of blood within two hours of being stopped would be subjected to a fine; those above would be treated criminally, mirroring the way many provinces deal with alcohol and driving. [continues 270 words]
One was the chief of police for Toronto, London, York Region and the OPP. The other spent 34 years putting away bad guys as a member of the RCMP, retiring as deputy commissioner of Federal and International Policing. In the past, if former police chief Julian Fantino or onetime RCMP officer Raf Souccar were talking to you about cannabis, it would be time to quickly head for the door or maybe even call a lawyer. Not anymore. Fantino and Souccar now fight for the benefits of marijuana: The legal kind that is. The kind used for medical purposes. [continues 553 words]
If St. Paul, one of the most virulent and effective enemies of early Christians could pull off the greatest about face in history and become the religion's most prolific proponent, then who am I to argue with former Toronto police chief Julian Fantino as a shill for the marijuana industry. Fantino, the macho, no-nonsense, law-and-order tough guy from Vaughan stood at a podium in his city Tuesday singing the virtues of - pot. Yes, he used to bust men and women, boys and girls - locked them up for smoking a joint or a spliff - ignoring the haze of vibe-inducing smoke and the good vibes of the "natural mystic flowing in the air," riding the Rasta rhythms of Bob Marley or the raw rhetoric of Peter Tosh's Legalize it. That was then. [continues 1119 words]
ALBANY - New Yorkers who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder will now be able to use medical marijuana as a form of treatment. Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed a law Saturday that added PTSD to the list of conditions eligible for medical marijuana in New York. "As of today, marijuana will be legalized if a doctor authorizes and finds the condition of PTSD for a veteran, and I think that can help thousands of veterans. It's something that we've been talking about for a long time, and I'm glad we're taking action," Cuomo said. [continues 413 words]
Demonized for decades, marijuana remains controversial even on the brink of its statewide legalization - and even in pot-friendly strongholds such as San Francisco. The city is one of many still debating local regulations that will either embrace an overdue retreat from the drug war or effectively prolong the failed policy at the neighborhood level. For vacillating municipal officials, some context is in order. This week alone, New Jersey and Virginia voters resoundingly elected gubernatorial candidates promising to liberalize marijuana policy; Constellation Brands, a Fortune 500 seller of many popular wine and beer brands, was reported to have bought a nearly $200 million stake in a Canadian cannabis company; and California's attorney general approved signature-gathering for a ballot measure to legalize psilocybin mushrooms. [continues 272 words]
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has signed legislation to add post-traumatic stress disorder to the list of ailments that can legally be treated with medical marijuana. The PTSD bill was part of a package of legislation that Cuomo signed Saturday to mark Veterans Day. The Democratic governor said 19,000 New Yorkers with PTSD could be helped by medical marijuana. He said the potential beneficiaries include veterans as well as police officers and survivors of domestic violence, crime and accidents. [continues 55 words]
A global credit rating agency says taxes on recreational marijuana in California could reach 45 percent in some places, high enough to keep the thriving black market in business despite legalization. The report by Fitch Ratings, "Local Taxes May Challenge Cannabis Legalization in California," warns that state and local taxes may combine to threaten the government revenue expected from the sale of legalized cannabis and cannabis products. The recreational use of the drug will be legal in California starting Jan. 1 under Proposition 64, the Control, Regulate and Tax Adult Use of Marijuana Act, passed by voters last November. [continues 469 words]
Can you be fired in Michigan for using medical marijuana? Joseph Casias injured his knee at the Battle Creek Wal-Mart where he worked in 2009. Per company policy, he took a drug test. It came back positive. Casias had been using marijuana at home to treat pain from sinus cancer and an inoperable brain tumor. The American Civil Liberties Union sued on his behalf for wrongful discharge in violation of the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act. A U.S. District Judge sided with the company. The U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals later upheld the ruling. [continues 1250 words]
Another day, another Trudeau Liberal lie That fury you hear? The betrayal medical cannabis patients and activists feel after the federal government went back on yet another promise surrounding legal marijuana. Last Friday, the Department of Finance announced a federal tax proposal that could see an excise charge of $1/gram or 10% (whichever is higher) on both recreational and medical cannabis. According to Ottawa, the revenues will be shared equally between the feds, provinces and territories. So what are they smoking? The shady government is apparently 'concerned' users will lie to their doctors, pretend to be sick and navigate the complex workings of the medical cannabis system in order to save the extra 10% tax that would be reserved for recreational pot. [continues 482 words]
That fury you hear? The betrayal medical cannabis patients and activists feel after the federal government went back on yet another promise surrounding legal marijuana. Last Friday, the Department of Finance announced a federal tax proposal that could see an excise charge of $1/gram or 10% (whichever is higher) on both recreational and medical cannabis. According to Ottawa, the revenues will be shared equally between the feds, provinces and territories. So what are they smoking? The shady government is apparently 'concerned' users will lie to their doctors, pretend to be sick and navigate the complex workings of the medical cannabis system in order to save the extra 10% tax that would be reserved for recreational pot. [continues 482 words]
That fury you hear? The betrayal medical cannabis patients and activists feel after the federal government went back on yet another promise surrounding legal marijuana. Last Friday, the Department of Finance announced a federal tax proposal that could see an excise charge of $1/gram or 10% (whichever is higher) on both recreational and medical cannabis. According to Ottawa, the revenues will be shared equally between the feds, provinces and territories. So what are they smoking? The shady government is apparently 'concerned' users will lie to their doctors, pretend to be sick and navigate the complex workings of the medical cannabis system in order to save the extra 10% tax that would be reserved for recreational pot. [continues 480 words]
Canada's proposed overhaul of federal impaired-driving rules could unfairly criminalize medical-cannabis users, according to an open letter to Ottawa signed by more than 50 criminal-defence lawyers. The letter, which warns that medical-marijuana users could be unfairly punished under the proposed system, underscores the challenges to preventing high driving. Experts are divided on just how much THC - the principal psychoactive compound of cannabis - would make someone impaired, and the government is still developing a reliable way to conduct a roadside test. [continues 599 words]
Legalizing marijuana could mean people more people will grow pot, which may hurt real estate sales, say city and national realty officials. The looming federal legislation to legalize cannabis use states people can grow up to four plants at home. But each pot plant can grow to more than two metres and yield four crops a year, posing a risk of water and mold damage inside a home, said Costa Poulopoulos, a London realtor who is director of the Ontario region for the Canadian Real Estate Association and a board member of the Ontario Real Estate Association. [continues 639 words]
When marijuana becomes a legal consumer good on July 1, 2018, it will be taxed. But how much it will be taxed, who will share in the spoils and to what degree are all points of contention. Here's what the federal government has proposed: An excise tax of $1 a gram on purchases of less than $10, and a 10-per-cent tax on purchases above $10. The tax would be applied equally to recreational and medical marijuana. The revenue raised from the excise tax would be split 50/50 between Ottawa and the provinces. In addition, marijuana sales will be subject to the federal and provincial sales taxes - GST, PST, QST, HST, depending on jurisdiction. [continues 638 words]
Doctors of B.C. is asking the provincial government to consider banning individuals from growing recreational pot at home when it becomes legal in July. The group was one of more than 130 stakeholders offering feedback to the B.C. government as part of its consultation on cannabis regulation and distribution. The variety of submissions points to the complex decisions government faces. Doctors of B.C. provided a list of "considerations" since there isn't enough evidence to make strong a recommendation, said president-elect Dr. Eric Cadesky. "There isn't a consensus amongst doctors. The feedback we got contained many different points of view." [continues 457 words]
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Supervisors in famously pot-friendly San Francisco are under pressure from cannabis advocates to pass regulations that would allow the industry to flourish once recreational sales become legal throughout California in January. The San Francisco Board of Supervisors is scheduled to take up proposed regulations Tuesday, when they may vote on a stop-gap measure to allow the sale of recreational cannabis through existing medical marijuana outlets on Jan. 1. That would give them time to figure out where to allow new stores. [continues 403 words]
San Francisco is having a surprisingly difficult time establishing regulations for the broad legal pot market, thanks in part to criticism from older Chinese immigrants who oppose marijuana use. Divided San Francisco supervisors are scheduled to take up the issue at a board meeting Tuesday, where they may vote on a stop-gap measure to allow the sale of recreational cannabis through existing medical marijuana outlets on Jan. 1 as they continue to figure out where to allow new stores. The possibility of overly strict regulations has businesses fretting over access and some San Franciscans wondering what happened to the counter-culture, anti-Prohibition city they know and love. The smell of cannabis being smoked is not uncommon in certain neighborhoods and parks. [continues 404 words]
Palm Beach County's first medical marijuana dispensary is now open for business. At noon Tuesday, Knox Medical opened the center at 1 South Dixie Highway in Lake Worth, across the street from Lake Worth City Hall. The dispensary occupies a former bank building in downtown Lake Worth, and the interior resembles a dentist or doctor's office. Patients check in at the foyer and then can proceed to a room with glass display cases showcasing Knox Medical's products. Knox Medical CEO Jose Javier Hidalgo said the new dispensary will improve access to medical cannabis for everyone in South Florida. [continues 528 words]
