Finally, a leader of a major political party in this country who can sniff which way the wind is blowing the marijuana smoke. Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau's stated support this week for legalization of pot is a welcome kickstart to more discussion of drug policy in this country. He's the first federal leader expressing what people in this country believe rather than parroting back the "we have to save the kids" mantra that is always the last resort of those opposed to a sane discussion surrounding the War on Drugs philosophy. [continues 442 words]
Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau now says he's in favour of legalizing pot. We disagree, which means we agree with what Trudeau said at last year's Liberal party convention, where delegates voted in favour of legalizing marijuana and he was opposed. At that convention, Trudeau told ProjectRedDot legalization would likely increase marijuana consumption, which is "not great for your health" and "disconnects you a little bit from the world," adding, "I don't know that it's entirely consistent with the kind of society we're trying to build." We also agree with what Trudeau told Maclean's in 2010, when he wasn't even in favour of the lesser step of decriminalization. [continues 285 words]
Local Reaction to Federal Liberal Leader's Pledge to Legalize Marijuana in Canada A local marijuana advocate is optimistic about the federal Liberal party leader's suggestion to legalize cannabis, but says it's a promise politicians have made - and broken - before. Earlier this week Justin Trudeau, leader of the federal Liberal party, endorsed legalizing marijuana. That's one step up from the stance he took during a party policy convention in 2012, when he advocated for the decriminalization of marijuana. [continues 560 words]
Justin Trudeau Wants Marijuana Legalization OTTAWA - Justin Trudeau's announcement this week that he supports legalizing pot was either an attempt to start a long-overdue conversation on a difficult issue, or a naked ploy for votes from people who might not otherwise come to the polls, depending on who you ask. Either way, Trudeau's move to become the first major party leader in Canada to support marijuana legalization has stirred the pot. "I think his attempt here is to bring in a whole new generation of young men and young women into the political process," said Michael Behiels, a University of Ottawa history professor. "And this is one way that he can do it, by addressing something that they apparently seem very interested in." [continues 878 words]
'Smart Move' Criticized by Tories and Ndp OTTAWA - Justin Trudeau's announcement this week that he supports legalizing marijuana was either an attempt to start a long overdue conversation on a difficult issue, or a naked ploy for votes from people who might not otherwise come to the polls, depending on whom you ask. Either way, Trudeau's move to become the first major party leader in Canada to support marijuana legalization has stirred the pot. "I think his attempt here is to bring in a whole new generation of young men and young women into the political process," said Michael Behiels, a University of Ottawa history professor. "And this is one way that he can do it, by addressing something that they apparently seem very interested in." [continues 839 words]
Police Were Investigating Outlet Within Days of Opening on July 2 Operators of a controversial medical marijuana store on Somerset Street have closed up shop amid an Ottawa police investigation into whether they were operating legally. Police said Friday The Greater Ottawa Health Advocacy Centre has been vacated. Officers from the drug unit went to visit the shop early in the week when they saw that it had been closed. "We're really going to change the face of Chinatown. There's going to be a whole lot more smiling faces here," the store's owner Ryan Levis told the Citizen in early July. [continues 384 words]
THE federal Drug Enforcement Administration raids this week on four Puget Sound medical-marijuana dispensaries apparently signal no change in federal policy. They are a reminder that the Obama administration is overdue in deciding whether to accept the marijuana legalization approved last November by voters in Washington and Colorado. The administration needs to make that step. The federal government also should reschedule marijuana under the Controlled Substances Act, as former Gov. Chris Gregoire requested. The push for change may not feel strong in Washington, D.C., but you can feel it in the states. Legalization is on the move. The polls say it. The votes in Colorado and Washington say it. The spread of medical marijuana says it: Just last Tuesday, New Hampshire became the 19th medical-marijuana state and several others seem ready to make the move. Except for the Idaho panhandle, the entire Pacific Time Zone is now medical-cannabis country. [continues 173 words]
As one who spent more than 20 years in law enforcement fighting the "drug war," I can attest to its absurd, futile and tragic nature. Tragic, in that many wonderful youngsters are irrevocably harmed by our reactionary punishment of recreational marijuana use. We'll never know how many people missed out on well-deserved careers, fell into severe depression or harmed themselves because of the impact of a minor infraction of experimenting with an innocuous drug. Further, as noted in the commentary, prescription drugs kill far more people than do cocaine and heroin combined. THOMAS EVANS, Bemidji, Minn. [end]
Re "No to drug injection sites in Toronto" (Editorial, July 21): Safe injection sites exemplify harm reduction. They have been shown to reduce the spread of HIV and prevent overdose deaths, without increasing drug use. They also serve as a bridge to drug treatment for a hard-to-reach population. Drug users are not the only beneficiaries. U.S. Centers for Disease Control researchers estimate 57% of AIDS cases among women and 36% of overall AIDS cases in the United States are linked to injection drug use or sex with partners who inject drugs. This preventable public health crisis is a direct result of zero tolerance laws that restrict access to clean syringes. Can Canada afford to emulate the harm maximization approach of the former land of the free and current record holder in citizens incarcerated? Robert Sharpe Common Sense for Drug Policy (As we noted in the editorial from the University of Toronto study in 2012: "Toronto ... has relatively low HIV prevalence rates among people who inject drugs") [end]
I have lost all respect for Justin Trudeau. Until Thursday, I'd been rooting for him all the way. No more, though. Not since he announced that he thinks marijuana should be legalized. In advocating for legalization, Trudeau cited the futility of the war on drugs. But this is not about the war on drugs. This is about the impact on everyday life if marijuana were legal. One commenter on the Calgary Herald's website wondered whether Trudeau is aware of all the social ills that legalization would bring. Indeed. For one thing, if this ever comes to pass, we will add to the carnage caused by drunk drivers more carnage caused by drivers who are stoned. [continues 746 words]
