It is laughable that the federal government is focusing so dutifully on issues around the legalization of marijuana. Any adult in Canada can walk into virtually any store and buy one of the most deadly products on earth - tobacco. This product is clearly connected with the suffering and death of millions of people each year and yet cigarettes are there for anyone to buy. Invoking the precautionary principle on pot smoking is laudable, but why don't we use the same approach to the sale of tobacco products, particularly when many people are recipients of second-hand smoke not of their choosing? Deb Hopkins, Saskatoon [end]
Heavy with needle users, London could move a step closer in February to a supervised injection site for drug-addicted residents amid renewed debate about the idea. The results of a feasibility study that surveyed 200 current and former needle users, as well as police, politicians, and social service and health agency representatives, is to be released in early February, Christopher Mackie, the Middlesex-London medical officer of health, said Wednesday. That study won't suggest a location or timeline to establish a site, but one area Conservative MP already is raising the alarm about the possibility. [continues 448 words]
When they're having these medical emergencies, their car turns into a missile with nobody at the controls. In a year when three fatal collisions were linked to drugs, Calgary police are increasingly concerned about people driving under the influence. In 2015, there were no fatal crashes specifically related to drugs. Police are hoping the deaths this year isn't a trend that will continue into 2017. Staff Sgt. Paul Stacey with the Calgary police traffic section noted there is a lot of uncertainty about potential effects as federal marijuana legislation comes into play next year. [continues 631 words]
RE: 18 years is too young for legal marijuana (Dec.16) In this editorial, John Roe's first sentence is: "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?" Since when did the recreational use of marijuana become fun? Just asking. Jim Margueratt, Burlington [end]
Survey finds British Columbians possess desire for action and are also willing to consider radical options for addiction treatment British Columbians are deeply concerned about the overdose crisis and want to see improved access to addiction treatment - but, faced with an unprecedented number of drug deaths in the province, they're also willing to consider more radical options such as the legalization of hard drugs. Those are some of the findings of a new survey by the Mustel Group, conducted for the InnerChange Foundation, a Vancouver-based non-profit that supports research in mental health and addiction. The survey provides a snapshot of provincial attitudes on substance-use disorder, and which initiatives people are willing to support amid the province's worst overdose crisis on record. It's expected that more than 800 people will have died of illicit drug overdoses by year's end; health and justice officials, politicians and activists have called for a broad range of remedies from increasing the number of treatment beds to legalization. [continues 637 words]
We need to wage war against dope like we did against smoking Arguing that smoking dope is safer than drinking booze is akin to stating that getting shot in the leg is preferable to taking one in the head. Yet, that's the argument often used by pro-pot crusaders, as we debate the minutiae about what age should Canadians be allowed to legally buy weed. Well, folks, that bus long ago left the station - kids can already get a hold of dope with little effort. [continues 621 words]
Arguing that smoking dope is safer than drinking booze is akin to stating that getting shot in the leg is preferable to taking one in the head. Yet, that's the argument often used by pro-pot crusaders, as we debate the minutiae about what age should Canadians be allowed to legally buy weed. Well, folks, that bus long ago left the station - kids can already get a hold of dope with little effort. Don't get me wrong; let's legalize the stuff. In fact, we should decriminalize every other drug, because the entire campaign to treat addiction as a matter of legality rather than mental health is among the deadliest and costliest exercises society has tried. [continues 578 words]
GOV'TS GRAPPLE WITH WEED RULES IN 2017 Cops, city staff rework policies in face of law change With federal legislation set to be introduced this spring to legalize marijuana across Canada, city staff and police in the Tri-Cities may have to rejig their policies. Port Coquitlam - which already has a storefront dispensary selling recreational pot, contrary to Health Canada's Controlled Drugs and Substances Act as well as city regulations - is keeping a close eye on the proposed changes. [continues 136 words]
Pamela McColl is guilty of some backwards thinking. Eight decades of cannabis (marijuana) prohibition has proven to be "experimenting with dangerous drug policies" and "risky public-health policy," not the other way around. Insinuating cannabis laws involve "evidence-based drug policy" could not be farther from the truth. Cannabis prohibition and persecution was orchestrated from the beginning out of greed and racism. If cannabis were discovered today for the first time, it would be hailed as a miracle plant. Stan White Dillon, CO [end]
If marijuana is legalized in this province, nearly one-quarter of Manitoba adults say they're prepared to get some. Rich or poor, NDP or Progressive Conservative, man or woman, young or middle-aged - tens of thousands are likely to try some pot. The Winnipeg Free Press/Probe Research Inc. survey asked, "If marijuana becomes legal in Canada, how likely would you be to use it even just once?" Twenty-four per cent - nearly one-quarter of a million adult Manitobans - said they would be likely to use it. [continues 1028 words]
No one actually used the pop-up overdose prevention site that appeared near Roxy Park, Monday afternoon in Kelowna. While some residents issued their displeasure to other media at the sight of a small tent and community members gathered in the cold - organizers of the pop-up site say the event went over very well. Okanagan College Professor and former NDP candidate Norah Bowman along with former Kelowna city Councillor Michelle Rule were the two who hosted the Overdose Prevention pop-up site in Rutland. [continues 412 words]
Doug Nickerson is never without a naloxone kit, which he says he has used 113 times He walks Surrey's notorious strip in Whalley, always carrying a naloxone kit. Having being saved five times from the life-saving naloxone, Doug Nickerson now puts it to use for others he sees on Surrey's most battle worn street. "I don't go anywhere without a naloxone kit," said Nickerson. "I hang a kit on my belt loop and away I go. Always have it." [continues 549 words]
Firefighters treating increasing numbers of drug overdose victims In the middle of another devastating month for drug overdoses in Greater Victoria, West Shore first responders continue to be on the front lines of some of these calls. "Our hearts go out to the families that are dealing with these types of emergencies," said Langford Fire Rescue Capt. Lance Caven. He added that the Langford department, along with other West Shore firefighters, are "responding to these calls as part of a team." [continues 427 words]
Politics: Liberals say making cannabis legal will reduce drug crime, youth access It won't be long before marijuana could be available for sale next to cigarettes. The Liberal government's task force on marijuana legalization, formed in June, released its report on making cannabis legal in Canada earlier this month. The recommendations in the report include setting the national minimum age to 18, but allowing provinces to harmonize that age with the minimum age to purchase alcohol. In addition, marijuana would fall under restrictions similar to the Tobacco Act, including being packaged with company names, THC levels and warnings like cigarette packages. [continues 634 words]
Regarding the letter, Why should we pay? (Penticton Western News, Dec. 21) - I can think of one good reason why taxpayers should pay to ameliorate the fentanyl crisis: It's all the government's (and taxpayers') fault. It is precisely because the federal government decided years ago to ban the use and distribution of certain recreational drugs that drug users today are forced to purchase unsafe drugs. Solution? Legalize all recreational drugs and not just those the politicians use. Alan Randell Victoria [end]
With apologies to The Who, the kids may not be alright with this. A series of 24 focus groups on perceptions of marijuana legalization commissioned by the federal Liberal government found that the youngest teenaged participants were the most cautious about the policy shift. The government has been laying the groundwork for months on a major public-education and awareness campaign that will accompany the looming legalization of recreational marijuana. Health Canada commissioned a series of focus-group surveys last June to plumb public perceptions around legalized cannabis, including the health effects and attitudes to drug-impaired driving. [continues 470 words]
Re: "Legalization of marijuana must be done right." I wholeheartedly agree with you that something with the potential for a major negative impact on Canada, which will be joining Uruguay as the only two countries to make marijuana legal, must be done cautiously. That being said, the Trudeau Liberals seem to be rushing ahead, even before a simple roadside test for impairment by inhaling marijuana is available to police. This is frightening with Washington State finding road deaths doubled after it legalized this drug. [continues 257 words]
Handing out naloxone kits has had the unintended consequence of contributing to spiking the number of deaths. What is the incentive for a drug user to change their behaviour? These kits are providing a false sense of security. Users will continue with the hope that they will be resuscitated in a worst-case scenario. They also contribute to straining our overcrowded hospitals. Why can't our supposedly medical professionals figure this out? Bruce McDonald, Surrey [end]
Enough already with the overdose problem. Yes, I am sorry that so many people are addicted to drugs. I do not understand why Canada and B.C. have so many drug addicts. We cannot save these people; they need to save themselves. More money will not fix the problem; they must decide for themselves to get clean. Soon Canada will be a haven for every drug user in North America if we keep saving these people instead of forcing them to hit bottom and get sober. Taxpayers are getting tired of paying the bills for people who are not contributing anything for their care. Please give us a break and stop using our precious health care dollars for a problem we will never solve. Bonnie Mitchell, Vernon [end]
A Needle Exchange Program operates in several sites across the county in Clinton, Seaforth and Goderich. In Clinton it is offered through the Huron County Health Unit, in Goderich it is offered through Choices For Change and in Seaforth it is through Dr. Datema's Methadone clinic. However, the Health Unit in Clinton is used the most due to its accessibility. The health unit's website states: "Like all health units in Ontario, the Huron County Health Unit offers a needle exchange program at several sites across the county. [continues 322 words]
Arguing that smoking dope is safer than drinking booze is akin to stating that getting shot in the leg is preferable to taking one in the head. Yet that's the argument often used by pro-pot crusaders, as we debate the minutiae about what age should Canadians be allowed to legally buy weed. Well, folks, kids can already get a hold of dope with little effort. Don't get me wrong; let's legalize the stuff. In fact, we should decriminalize every other drug, because the entire campaign to treat addiction as a matter of legality rather than mental health is among the deadliest and costliest exercises society has tried. [continues 576 words]
Trio sets up its own overdose-prevention site in Rutland after Interior Health fails in bid to establish one in community More pop-up overdose-prevention sites such as the one created Monday could be coming to a Rutland neighbourhood. Depending on the response of civic officials and police, additional efforts could be undertaken to offer places where drug users could receive naloxone in the event of an overdose. "We're going into this, frankly, with a lot of unknowns," Norah Bowman said Monday. [continues 361 words]
Let me start by saying that I am in favour of making illegal drugs legal, provided they are given to registered addicts in regulated doses to be used in situ. The addict arrives at the clinic (or opium den, or whatever you want to call it); shows his/her photo permit; gets the dose in a needle; and either uses it or is injected by an employee. I don't care whether he/she pays or not. If the feds/province/municipality buys the stuff from the producer, with no middleman (sorry, middle person), the cost per dose will be about 50 cents. Chump change. [continues 193 words]
The message has been spread for years that drinking and driving don't mix, but taking drugs and driving can be just as fatal and needs to be taken seriously, police say. The Capital West Integrated Traffic Unit reports it is seeing more cases of impaired driving by drug use. Const. Mike Hibbs of the Capital West Integrated Traffic Unit said there were two individuals found to be impaired by drugs at a check stop in the capital region this past weekend. [continues 430 words]
"I have been hearing and reading a lot about fentanyl and about the many hundreds who have died using it, Well, I guess I want to kill myself, so would the government please advise me were I can get a couple pills? Oh, and by the way, would they send along the location of any of the injection sites where I can get the antidote just in case I change my mind? The question remains: Why is the government supporting this sort of crap by offering injection sites and free antidotes to people who know full well taking the drug may kill them, but they do it anyway? Maybe it's the government who needs the antidote. [continues 55 words]
Legalizing recreational use could unleash $22.6B industry TORONTO* It' s Sunday afternoon and Toronto's Centre for Social Innovation is packed full of marijuana enthusiasts perusing tables of goods. Everything from marijuana-infused barbecue sauce to medicated body rubs is available at Green Market, where artisans peddle their various craft cannabis products. Such events, which sell to patients and casual users alike, operate within a foggy regulatory environment. Selling marijuana is illegal unless you are a large-scale producer licensed under Health Canada's medical marijuana regime. [continues 526 words]
After two days of legal marijuana immersion therapy, Alberta's justice minister admits more questions than answers remain on how the province rolls out pot reforms. But a federal task force's recently unveiled recommendations - calling for cannabis sales outside liquor stores, mail order retail and a minimum age of 18 - have cleared some of the smoke. While an October trip to Denver - the epicentre of Colorado's cannabis legalization - was useful, what Alberta's post-prohibition landscape looks like remains dependent on Ottawa's still hazy blueprint, says Kathleen Ganley. [continues 404 words]
Program warns youths about effects of cannabis use on brain and reflexes A lot of people have the sense that cannabis does not impair your driving or that they're able to compensate for the effects. With Ottawa poised to legalize recreational marijuana next year, researchers are keeping a close eye on use of the drug, which has been steadily trending upward over the last couple of decades. In Ontario, for instance, a survey by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health found that past-year cannabis use virtually doubled between 1996 and 2015, rising from about eight per cent to almost 15 per cent of respondents. [continues 807 words]
Before 1973 there were no services for heroin addicts at all except in prison. Then the NDP passed reforms to health care which permitted methadone clinics. These were quite radical at the time. The clinic possibly saved my life as I was then using heroin. I got work and became law abiding and some of my friends did the same. Many eventually withdrew off methadone as the years went by and became "normal" people. In the last 15 years the powers that be have ignored the lessons of Portugal and The Netherlands and even the universities that study such problems. It is now abundantly clear that prescription heroin is part of the answer along with counselling and/or residential detox for those who want to be drug free. I don't hear any politicians advocating for such solutions. As Christy Clark says, "This is beyond politics." With the introduction of fentanyl (and carfentanil) the situation is becoming a body count and there is no time for dithering or "further studies." If there had been action on this 10 years ago we would not be in such a situation now. D'Arcy Proulx, Roberts Creek [end]
There is an easy way to stop this crisis in its tracks. Legalize street drugs, in a controlled way, so that addicts can get what they need without having to resort to dealers who provide products of unknown purity. If alcohol and tobacco were illegal, there would be even more deaths from adulterated products. As a bonus a lot of dealers would be out of business. I cannot imagine why this has not been done. I realize that there are legal impediments to doing this, but we do have a serious problem. The laws should be changed immediately, or if necessary, broken by the health authorities in order to save lives. If done, everyone wins, the addicts stay alive and out of trouble, the police and other first-responders can take a much-needed rest, the illegal distribution network collapses, and the social workers can help these people in a more productive way. There is no time to waste, this needs to be done ASAP. Mark H. White, Vancouver [end]
The courts must do whatever they can to stop or reduce drug trafficking, a Nanaimo judge said last week as he handed a drug trafficker a six-month jail sentence. On Dec. 19, Trevor Lee Sihota pleaded guilty to possession of heroin for the purpose of trafficking. Sihota, a 35-year-old recovering crack cocaine and crystal meth addict, was arrested on March 7, 2013. Police found 42.7 grams of heroin valued at $4,700 to $6,000 in his apartment. [continues 556 words]
B.C. mom Scarlett Ballantyne wonders if Ottawa's plans to legalize marijuana will make her 14- and 16-year-old daughters more inclined to try it. But she's not waiting to find out. Ballantyne says her family has been discussing the dangers of drug use since the girls were 13 - a preemptive strike as pot shops and marijuana headlines have been popping up everywhere they turn. She's proud to say they are athletic, self-confident kids, but she also gets the impression that their generation sees marijuana as "not that big of a deal." [continues 687 words]
An American fugitive who was dubbed the Godfather of Grass because of run-ins with the law involving the large-scale production of marijuana will be detained in Montreal for at least another week while authorities decide when he will be deported. John Robert Boone, 73, was arrested by Montreal police Thursday afternoon at a shopping centre, at the corner of Ste-Catherine St. W. and Atwater Ave., putting an end to a police search that lasted eight years. He had been sought by the Kentucky State Police and the U.S. Marshals Service since 2008. He was detained at the Riviere-des-Prairies Detention Centre where he had a hearing Friday afternoon before an adjudicator with Canada's Immigration and Refugee Board. [continues 457 words]
Two years ago, a good friend of mine died here in Prince George, along with three others over the Christmas Holidays, all from fentanyl overdoses. One year before he died, I watched my friend Ken fight, sweat, vomit and soil his way through withdrawal from heroin, cold turkey. After three weeks, he found employment, rose quickly through the ranks and gladly helped others. After eleven months clean, his pain, regrets from the past, the company of others afflicted and this perverted unrealistic time of year for a lot of people, culminated in his succumbing to his addiction one last time. [continues 526 words]
The federal changes to withdraw the National Anti-Drug Strategy are significant for Canada's nurses and their ability to deliver ethical and evidence-based care. Harm reduction will again be a pillar of Canadian drug strategy. Evidence, not ideology, will be privileged. And the Minister of Health, not the Minister of Justice, will be in charge. However, proposed changes will take time to translate into action. Nowhere is this more evident than in British Columbia, where on one December night 13 people died of overdoses. Our hearts are with everyone who is experiencing these losses and with those who are working hard to save lives daily. [continues 590 words]
Re: "Church builds wall to keep out drug users, homeless campers," Dec. 22. If the homeless drug-addicted want to use church property to sleep on, perhaps they should try being good neighbours. Just because they have addiction or mental health issues, it is not an acceptable excuse for leaving a filthy, dangerous mess behind. During their lucid moments, why not collect their used needles and trash and dispose of them safely? Perhaps the homeless shelters could organize cleanup parties every morning. If they were to keep their neighbourhood cleaner, people might be more welcoming. John Miller Victoria [end]
WINNIPEG School Division is considering stocking its schools with the antidote naloxone in case any student suffers an opioid overdose. "We need to pay attention to it," trustee Lisa Naylor said Thursday. "It may be something we deem as a good idea, as part of a first aid kit." Naylor raised the possibility at a school board meeting earlier this month and was told the WSD administration was already looking into it. Naylor said a parent, who is also a doctor, had told her another unidentified school division is also considering putting naloxone kits in schools. [continues 791 words]
As the latest statistics from the BC Coroners Service confirm illicit-drug-overdose fatalities are continuing to climb, posters aimed at getting the message across that the danger isn't confined to addicts are being distributed throughout the Semiahmoo Peninsula. Verna Logan, constituency assistant to Surrey-White Rock MLA Gordon Hogg, confirmed last week that the posters, created by Fraser Health, have been sent to South Surrey & White Rock Chamber of Commerce officials for distribution to their membership, as well as the White Rock Business Improvement Association, the Surrey Board of Trade and other organizations. [continues 277 words]
Police chief says intervention, education key to tackling problem For the first time under Chief Clive Weighill's tenure, crime in Saskatoon is going up. This city has the highest murder rate in the country and thefts and break-ins are spiking. The StarPhoenix sat down with the city's police chief to talk crime and what's next for 2017. Q The rise of methamphetamine is well documented in Saskatoon. You've said it's a main contributor to the city's crime rate. How are you going to combat it? [continues 745 words]
Artisanal producers already selling teas, medical rubs under foggy legislation It's Sunday afternoon and Toronto's Centre for Social Innovation is packed full of marijuana enthusiasts perusing tables of goods. Everything from marijuana-infused barbecue sauce to medicated body rubs is available at Green Market, where artisans peddle their various craft cannabis products. Such events, which sell to patients and casual users alike, operate within a foggy regulatory environment. Selling marijuana is illegal unless you are a large-scale producer licensed under Health Canada's medical marijuana regime. [continues 333 words]
"I have been hearing and reading a lot about the drug "fentanyl" and about the many hundreds who have died using it! Well, I guess I want to kill myself, so would the government please advise me were I can get a couple pills? Oh, and by the way, would they send along the location of any of the "injection sites" were I can get the "antidote" just in case I change my mind. The question remains: Why is the government supporting this sort of crap by offering injection sites and free antidotes to people who know full well taking the drug may kill them, (but they do it anyway?). Maybe it's the government who needs the "antidote." It would be interesting to know the amount of money the government have spent on this so far. I don't think you will publish this, but it's worth a try? Laurie R. Dirks (Wow, we hope no one you care about is suffering with addictions. Merry Christmas, Laurie.) [end]
In response to Laurie R. Dirks letter regarding problems with government spending money on addictions. Never in my life have I read such an uninformed, ignorant, selfish and cold-hearted response to a problem that affects us all. As a Canadian, I'm embarrassed to know that uneducated buffoons such as yourself are breathing our collective air. These are people who are suffering a terrible disease, often as a result of being prescribed dangerous drugs by sometimes ill-meaning doctors. People who have no choice, no options, literally no hope. [continues 96 words]
Ten illicit drug-related deaths in 2016 is far below the provincial average but still twice the number in 2015 Richmond has the lowest death rate for illicit drug overdose deaths in B.C. and has largely escaped the healthcare crisis happening in Downtown Vancouver and other jurisdictions across the province. Richmond's Medical Health Officer, Meena Dawar, notes that despite the low death rate this year, to date, it is still two times greater than it was last year, according to data provided by the BC Coroners Service this week. [continues 349 words]
Council willing to allow only 55 amid a surge of overdoses, homelessness Grappling with a steady stream of fentanyl overdoses and the interrelated issues of drug addiction and homelessness, the City of Surrey has moved to limit the number of recovery houses that can operate in its boundaries. With 50 registered recovery houses and another 20 unlicensed facilities taking in people with severe addictions, city council this week said it is willing to permit 55 homes, and the rest must shut down. [continues 565 words]
City council willing to permit 55 homes but no more; rest must be shut down Grappling with a sustained fentanyl overdose crisis and the interrelated issues of drug addiction and homelessness, the City of Surrey has moved to limit the number of recovery houses that can operate in its boundaries. With 50 registered recovery houses, and another 20 unlicensed ones taking in people with severe addictions, city council this week said it is willing to permit 55 homes but no more, and that the rest must shut down. [continues 575 words]
Yes, there is a fentanyl crisis, but it is one we made ourselves in our all-fired enthusiasm to control everything. The Drug War had its origins almost exactly 100 years ago when legislation was created both in the U.S. and Canada to "control" cannabis and opium, and were largely racially-inspired attacks on unpopular minorities who used these substances (eg. Chinese labourers working on the CP railway, and disposable artsy types). Since the Second World War, the drug problem has grown like Topsy, each ill-advised exacerbation of the laws being reliably accompanied by an increase in prison populations, in the U.S. from 500,000 in 1980 to about 2.2 million in 2013. [continues 181 words]
Our federal government will soon legalize marijuana. I'm not saying it's a good thing or bad thing. It is so prevalent in society something had to be done. My thoughts on the matter is that if the federal Liberals think that they are going to put these illegal pot-growing operations out of business, they must stay monetarily competitive or better with the underground prices for cannabis. Otherwise, people will not buy in the legal outlets. If by chance the government does manage to shut down a lot of the illegal growing operations, these people who are making thousands of dollars a day are not going to start flipping hamburgers at your local fast food place. For a lot of them, all they know are drugs and big money. You will see now on our streets in large numbers the drugs that have a more detrimental effect on the people using and, in turn, on society in general. [continues 53 words]
"You can watch if you want," says Brandon as he sits down in a chair and puts his drug paraphernalia on the table in front of a mirror. He fumbles around inside his pocket for the heroin to shoot up and get high. But this time he isn't doing it alone. Brandon is one of more than a dozen people who went to the city's first overdose prevention site that opened at Our Place on Tuesday morning. By noon, around 11 drug users had already used the site to safely inject drugs in the company of a paramedic standing by in case of an overdose. [continues 660 words]
When tucking into your holiday feast this weekend, spare a thought for those unable to enjoy such comforts. First responders come to mind, especially in Metro Vancouver, which is in the grip of an epidemic of drug overdoses. According to the most recent statistics, 755 people have died so far in 2016, a 70-per-cent increase over this time last year. If you are shocked by this news, you are excused. For some reason, this public-health calamity has failed to galvanize the country's attention, certainly not like the great SARS panic of 2003 did. It was top of the news - and the federal government's political agenda - for months. [continues 633 words]
Decrease in tobacco use proof society is best at battling addictions head on Arguing that smoking dope is safer than drinking booze is akin to stating that getting shot in the leg is preferable to taking one in the head. Yet, that's the argument often used by pro-pot crusaders, as we debate the minutiae about what age should Albertans be allowed to legally buy weed. Well, folks, that bus long ago left the station - kids can already get a hold of dope with little effort. [continues 623 words]
Inside Canada
