In regards to the people who advocate the legalization of marijuana, this makes sense if it is for personal use. Where the whole debate goes sideways is when statements like this "will take the criminal element out of the equation" are made. The four ex-mayors from Vancouver used this argument as do some letter writers. Seeing as the marijuana is smuggled into the U.S. and swapped for cocaine, methamphetamine, guns and whatever else, I would really appreciate someone explaining how this will work. [continues 87 words]
Tim Hortons Partners With Timmins Police Service and Ontario Provincial Police A local Tim Hortons contributed a large sum of money to help combat drug use amongst teens. For 11 years, Tim Hortons has been supporting local DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) programs throughout Northeastern Ontario and to dat has help raise nearly $100,000 for the program. "It's absolutely amazing," said Paul Harrison, who is the Ontario Provincial Police's Northeast Region DARE co-ordinator. "It helps to raise awareness not only about the problems with drug abuse, but how the community can help with it." [continues 306 words]
With the damning story in Maclean's magazine this week highlighting Prince George's high rates in some categories of crime during 2010, the Prince George RCMP researched how the statistics look for 2011 as a preview of next year's possible results in the magazine. Almost all categories of crime have gone down, but drug offenses held steady. In 2006 there were 409 drug cases in Prince George, it hit a peak of 588 last year, and in 2011 it is expected to finish up somewhere around the 538 mark. [continues 420 words]
As the Conservative government uses its majority powers to effectively silence debate on the Safe Streets and Communities Act, the growing call for measures that would actually make our streets safer continues to fall on deaf ears in Ottawa. Last week, five Vancouver mayors past and present joined the chorus-one that includes police chiefs, economists and politicians of all political stripes -to overturn Canada's marijuana prohibition. "Marijuana prohibition is -without question-a failed policy. It is creating violent, gang-related crime in our communities and fear among our citizens, and adding financial costs for all levels of government at a time when we can least afford them," stated a letter from former Vancouver mayors Larry Campbell, Michael Harcourt, Sam Sullivan and Phillip Owen. [continues 184 words]
"To alcohol - the cause of, and solution to, all of life's problems!" Homer Simpson I wonder if Prime Minister Stephen Harper enjoys the occasional beer or scotch and soda while unwinding from a long day in politics. I wonder if Harper enjoys a glass of wine as he works on the passion that is his book on the history of hockey. I wonder this now because we are weeks away from stronger Conservative-created laws that will create criminals out of ordinary people while making real criminals all the richer. [continues 560 words]
It seems my colleague opposite and I both agree that the current laws and regulations that deal with marijuana are not working. The laws, which prohibit cultivation, distribution and use of the drug, have led to high rates of gang violence and huge expenses associated with growing enforcement costs and expensive legal proceedings. Where my colleague and I differ, however, is on how to move forward. My colleague suggests the solution to these problems is decriminalization. While decriminalization is a good first step, it's only a half-step and will not stop the gang violence. [continues 664 words]
Safety Minister Wrong to Block Transfer From U.S. for Two Drug Dealers, Judge Says Public Safety Minister Vic Toews acted unreasonably when he refused to allow two Canadians imprisoned in the United States to serve out their sentences in Canada, a Federal Court judge has ruled. In two decisions posted to the Federal Court website Thursday, Justice James O'Reilly overturned Toews' rejection of applications under the International Transfer of Offenders Act filed by Montreal native Franco Tangorra and Tomaso Villano, of Richmond Hill, Ont. Both men were arrested by American authorities for trying to traffic in or import large quantities of the drug ecstasy. [continues 472 words]
CLEARVIEW TOWNSHIP - A man who ran a marijuana grow-op out of a rural Clearview Township home he rented has pleaded guilty to charges laid by the Clearview Fire Department. The man pleaded guilty last Tuesday in Wasaga Beach Provincial Court to three charges and was fined $2,000 on each count. Fire Chief Bob McKean said that under the Fire Protection and Prevention Act (FPPA), the man was charged with Plant Growing Without Design or Approval and Use of Temporary Wiring for Plant Production. [continues 334 words]
Despite Ottawa's Opposition, Strategy Reduces Ods, Infections, Doctors Agree Are they legalized shooting galleries or harm-reduction centres? A report released Friday by the Montreal public health department recommends that three supervised injection sites and a mobile one be established next year in city neighbourhoods where intravenous drug use is rampant. Dr. Richard Lessard, director of public health, suggested that fixed sites be set up in Hochelaga-Maisonneuve, downtown and an area near St. Urbain and Prince Arthur Sts. The mobile unit would move around St. Henri and the city's southwest sector. [continues 516 words]
Canada's medical marijuana licensing system is vulnerable to abuse and needs to be tightened up, says the health minister after data emerged this week revealing a surge in possibly fraudulent applications. "We're aware that there are opportunities and risks of the system being abused, which is why we are working to tighten up the system," said Steve Outhouse, a spokesman for Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq, on Friday. Outhouse was speaking in response to a Postmedia series looking at medical marijuana licensing and use in Canada. The series was based on electronic data the Citizen obtained from Health Canada through the Access to Information Act. The figures showed, for example, that between 2008 and 2010 applications to Health Canada for medical marijuana based on severe arthritis claims jumped 2,400 per cent. [continues 177 words]
Canada's medical marijuana licensing system is vulnerable to abuse and needs to be tightened up, says the health minister after data emerged this week revealing a surge in possibly fraudulent applications. "We're aware that there are opportunities and risks of the system being abused, which is why we are working to tighten up the system," Steve Outhouse, a spokesman for Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq, said Friday. Outhouse was speaking in response to an Ottawa Citizen series looking at medical marijuana licensing and use in Canada. The series was based on electronic data obtained from Health Canada through the Access to Information Act. [continues 178 words]
Government working to tighten system, including more education for doctors Ottawa - Canada's medical marijuana licensing system is vulnerable to abuse and needs to be tightened, the health ministry says after data emerged this week revealing a surge in possibly fraudulent applications. "We're aware there are opportunities and risks of the system being abused, which is why we are working to tighten the system," Steve Outhouse, a representative of Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq, said on Friday. Outhouse was speaking in response to Postmedia's recent series looking at medical marijuana licensing and use in Canada. The series was based on electronic data obtained from Health Canada through the Access to Information Act. [continues 354 words]
Canada's medical marijuana licensing system is vulnerable to abuse and needs to be tightened up, says the health minister after data emerged this week revealing a surge in possibly fraudulent applications. "We're aware that there are opportunities and risks of the system being abused, which is why we are working to tighten up the system," said Steve Outhouse, a spokesperson for Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq, on Friday. Outhouse was speaking in response to the Ottawa Citizen's recent series looking at medical marijuana licensing and use in Canada. The series was based on electronic data the Citizen obtained from Health Canada through the Access to Information Act. [continues 257 words]
Canada's medical marijuana licensing system is vulnerable to abuse and needs to be tightened up, the health minister said after data emerged this week revealing a surge in possibly fraudulent applications. "We're aware that there are opportunities and risks of the system being abused," said Steve Outhouse, a spokesperson for Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq, on Friday. Outhouse was speaking in response to a Postmedia News series on medical marijuana licensing and use in Canada. The figures showed, for example, that between 2008 and 2010 applications to Health Canada for medical marijuana based on severe arthritis claims jumped 2,400 per cent. [continues 177 words]
Citizen Report Spurs Aglukkaq to Assess 'Opportunities and Risks' Of Abuse of System Canada's medical marijuana licensing system is vulnerable to abuse and needs to be tightened up, says the health minister after a Citizen report exposed a surge in possibly fraudulent applications. "We're aware that there are opportunities and risks of the system being abused, which is why we are working to tighten up the system," Steve Outhouse, a spokesman for Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq, said Friday. Outhouse was speaking in response to the Citizen series looking at medical marijuana licensing and use in Canada. The series was based on electronic data the Citizen obtained from Health Canada through the Access to Information Act. [continues 523 words]
Canada's medical marijuana licensing system is vulnerable to abuse and needs to be tightened up, says the health minister after data emerged this week revealing a surge in possibly fraudulent applications. "We're aware that there are opportunities and risks of the system being abused, which is why we are working to tighten up the system," said Steve Outhouse, a spokesman for Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq, on Friday. Outhouse was speaking in response to the Ottawa Citizen's recent series looking at medical marijuana licensing and use in Canada. The series was based on electronic data the Citizen obtained from Health Canada through the Access to Information Act. [continues 472 words]
Downtown Residents Want Moratorium in Ville Marie A coalition of downtown residents associations is calling for an immediate moratorium on any attempt to introduce supervised injection sites (SIS) in their neighbourhood, saying the borough of Ville Marie is already overburdened with the problems of homelessness and local crime. "What we're saying is that we are not against (SIS)," said Gaetan Paquet, president of the Coalition des Associations de residents de Ville-Marie, which represents about 45,000 of the 80,000 residents of the downtown borough. [continues 558 words]
Growing in Homes a Big Concern Canada's medical marijuana licensing system is vulnerable to abuse and needs to be tightened up, says the health minister after data emerged this week revealing a surge in possibly fraudulent applications. "We're aware that there are opportunities and risks of the system being abused, which is why we are working to tighten up the system," said Steve Outhouse, a spokesman for Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq. Outhouse was speaking in response to a recent Postmedia series looking at medical marijuana licensing and use in Canada. The series was based on electronic data the Ottawa Citizen obtained from Health Canada through the Access to Information Act. [continues 358 words]
Blasted for Not Allowing Prisoners in U.S. to Return Home MONTREAL -- Public Safety Minister Vic Toews acted unreasonably when he refused to allow two Canadians imprisoned in the United States to serve out their sentences in Canada, a Federal Court judge has ruled. In two decisions posted to the Federal Court website Thursday, Justice James O'Reilly overturned Toews' rejection of applications under the International Transfer of Offenders Act filed by Montreal native Franco Tangorra and Tomaso Villano, of Richmond Hill, Ont. Both men were arrested by American authorities for trying to traffic in or import large quantities of the drug ecstasy. [continues 680 words]
Compassion Clubs Filling Void As Government-Grown Crops Have Little Therapeutic Value for Patients Margaret Marceniuk inhales her medical marijuana through a pharmaceutical puffer and a headshop pipe. Tamara Cartwright vaporizes her pot with a machine called a Volcano, then inhales three to four bags of the vapour while locked away in her bedroom, away from her toddler. Ian Layfield in Victoria swallows cannabis-infused oil capsules he makes himself, frying olive oil with pot leaves, then straining it with cheese cloth and pouring it into gel caps. He also mixes cannabis into a topical cream he rubs into his left foot and ankle, which was crushed in October 2006 after being rolled over by a grader. [continues 1498 words]