Two local mothers are bringing awareness to the rippling effect drugs leave on families by sharing the stories of their own children enveloped in the throes of addiction. Opening a public discussion about drug addiction is how mothers Shawna Taylor of Airdrie and Christina Sackett of Crossfield first connected. "There are so many families being affected," Taylor said. "I think the stigma is so incredible that people are embarrassed to come forward. It took us a long time." Taylor has been married to her husband Jeff for 23 years and said the two raised their daughter, Kenedee, and son, Nathan, to respect curfews and stay away from drugs. [continues 992 words]
ARCHES identifies former downtown area nightclub as a future medically-supervised drug consumption site A former downtown area nightclub has been pegged as the location for a future medically-supervised drug consumption site. ARCHES Lethbridge, a harm reduction agency, made the announcement on Wednesday that it had filed an application on July 31 with Health Canada to establish the services at the site formerly known as Pulse Nightclub. The facility requires a federal exemption to allow drug use inside the building. [continues 1130 words]
Group suggests pardoning possession convictions People with a record of pot possession should be able to access a 'simplified, free' record suspension process, a for-profit advocate for Canadians with criminal records said in a report issued Thursday. AllCleared, formerly Pardon Services Canada, released a set of recommendations including eliminating fees for record suspensions, or 'pardons' of non-violent marijuana-related convictions. According to Statistics Canada, 17,733 people were charged with offences related to marijuana possession in 2016. Individuals currently have to wait five years from the date of sentence completion to apply for a record suspension, which takes several months to complete. [continues 238 words]
Number of patients has more than doubled in Alberta compared to last year The number of patients for whom medical marijuana is being prescribed has more than doubled in Alberta compared to last year, says the College of Physicians & Surgeons of Alberta. In 2015 there were 109 authorized physicians prescribing medical marijuana for 1,750 patients. That would be the equivalent of 438 patients for every quarter of that year. In 2016 there were 329 physicians prescribing for 5,254 patients or 1,314 patients per quarter, said Kelly Eby, spokesperson for CPSA. In the first three months alone of this year, 178 physicians prescribed medical marijuana for 2,845 patients. [continues 360 words]
It will be a workout with a message. On Aug. 16, children and teens will start their Kids Against Drugs run through the Blood Reserve. The two-day event aims "to keep the momentum going for awareness, and to send a message that fentanyl and all drugs are not welcomed in the children's lives," says spokesperson Pamela Little Bear. "Too many children, on and off reserves and in the general community are affected in a negative way with these drugs," she says. [continues 136 words]
Alberta health professionals are launching a new phone service in an effort to save lives and curb a growing opioid crisis. The opioid dependency advice line, which launches Aug. 8, offers expert consultation for primary care physicians and nurse practitioners caring for patients with opioid dependence. "In the province not all family physicians are going to be comfortable or have experience in treating opioid dependence, particularly in using the medications," said Doctor Nick Mitchell, Alberta Health Services' provincial medical director with addictions and mental health. [continues 260 words]
Alberta Health Services encourages those at risk of overdose to carry kits Attendees at the Chasing Summer music festival will not be allowed to carry naloxone kits on festival grounds, organizers of the event said Wednesday. "Given our on-site medical resources and commitment to the health and welfare of all our fans, we want to ensure that only trained medical professionals administer medications to third parties, so we do not permit guests to carry private naloxone kits within festival grounds," said Colin Mathie, director of health and safety for Chasing Summer, which takes place Saturday and Sunday at Max Bell Centre grounds. [continues 370 words]
Property crimes of all sorts have increased in 2016, according to statistics included within the Medicine Hat Police's 2016 annual report published last week - numbers police say are linked together with the increased amount of meth and opiates being seen in the city. "The biggest thing is thefts of convenience," said Insp. Brent Secondiak of the MHPS. "They will take stuff to make money that's convenient for them ... they won't do a lot of work for it." "They will steal stuff from vehicles that are left open, they'll steal stuff from bicycles left in the yard." [continues 346 words]
A "huge spike" in opiate and methamphetamine seizures this past year poses a deadly and multifaceted problem for local law enforcement, says a police inspector. "We are hugely concerned with meth," said Insp. Brent Secondiak, speaking about the 2016 annual police report released last week. In 2016, police seized 52.5 grams of heroin and 1,474 grams of meth, a 563 per cent and 300 per cent increase from 2015 respectively. While fentanyl has made headlines across Canada for its deadliness, Secondiak said it hasn't been a problem in Medicine Hat compared to other drugs. [continues 499 words]
Calgary's police chief said his officers haven't changed their approach when it comes to marijuana, despite a slight dip in pot-related crimes being reported in 2016. Numbers released yesterday by Statistics Canada show Calgary's police-reported crime declined significantly last year, unlike other major Canadian cities which mostly saw an increase. Alberta also saw a drop in the homicide rate, with 17 fewer homicides in 2016 than 2015. Calgary's crime rate was down 1 per cent from 2015 numbers, which Chief Roger Chaffin called 'encouraging.' [continues 137 words]
Police are laying fewer charges for possession of marijuana in a trend that accelerated in Alberta last year, particularly in Calgary. Alberta saw a 25 per cent drop in the rate of criminal marijuana possession in 2016 from the previous year, led in part by significant declines in Calgary for the fifth consecutive year. The downward trend began before the Liberals brought forward their plan to legalize the drug for recreational use, and those on the front lines of the judicial system say charges for simple possession are increasingly rare. [continues 320 words]
The current method of regulating retail alcohol sales allows for discretion in a variety of areas. Calgary city staff report Calgary city staff are recommending that Alberta set up a private retail system for recreational-cannabis sales, similar to its liquor stores, once the drug becomes legal next summer. Council is set to debate this and other recommendations on cannabis legalization Monday as municipalities across the country begin grappling with the nuts and bolts of regulating a drug that Canadians have largely been prohibited from buying and selling for almost a century. [continues 538 words]
The Alberta Government is reminding everyone there is still time to have their voices heard when it comes to the legalization of cannabis. Albertans have until July 31 to complete an online survey that will take only 20 minutes to complete. The online survey is broken down into six key topics: Alberta's cannabis goals, purchasing cannabis, using cannabis in public, setting the legal age, protecting roads and workplaces and economic implications and opportunities. The survey process is part of the province-wide consultations the Government of Alberta is undertaking to adapt the federal law. [continues 199 words]
The provincial government has begun to amp its plans for when the federal cannabis legislation comes into effect next year by July 1st. The Alberta Government is currently conducting a survey asking Albertans how they would like to see cannabis use and distribution be implemented in this province. Alberta Minister of Justice and Solicitor General Kathleen Ganley said July 1st, 2018 is an ambitious timeline, however this provincial survey - which has already had over 35,000 respondents - will help provincial legislation reflect the values of Albertans. [continues 626 words]
EDMONTON - Ontario is on track to set the legal age for recreational marijuana use at 19, Premier Kathleen Wynne says. Wynne told the Star the age of majority should be the same for pot as it is for booze once the federal government legalizes cannabis next July 1. "I have a hard time imagining Ontario will have a lower age for pot than we do for alcohol," she said in an interview at the close of the annual premiers' conference here. [continues 387 words]
Pallister monitoring fed decision on Churchill, wants Ottawa to delay pot legalization The federal government needs to "step up" on multiple matters that impact Manitobans, Premier Brian Pallister said Wednesday in a conference call with local media. Pallister said the province needs an answer from Ottawa on what to do about the ongoing crisis in Churchill before deciding its next move; and he reiterated his believe the feds need to push pause on their marijuana legalization, saying the stakes are too high to rush into a bold new era. [continues 240 words]
Failing that, provinces will call for a delay EDMONTON - Canada's premiers say the federal government needs to provide more clarity as they work to craft rules on legalizing marijuana - or Ottawa will face a call for a delay. "It's great that the prime minister wants to stick to his deadline. That's super-duper," Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister said Wednesday at the closing news conference of the leaders' annual summer meeting. "He needs to then hear what the premiers of his country - our country - - have said we need help with. There are a number of significant and serious public policy issues here. They need to be addressed. They should be addressed co-operatively." [continues 474 words]
Re: Pot legalization on agenda. Let's first get alcohol and its deadly effects under control, prior to the legalization of marijuana. I really question Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's sanity in this area. Why mix gasoline with dynamite? Donald Munroe (Most Canadians are OK with legalized pot.) [end]
Premiers Frustrated By Lack Of Answers From Federal Gov't On Pot Legalization Canada's premiers say the federal government needs to provide more clarity as they work to craft rules on legalizing marijuana - or Ottawa will face a call for a delay. "It's great that the prime minister wants to stick to his deadline. That's super-duper," Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister said Wednesday at the closing news conference of the leaders' annual summer meeting. "He needs to then hear what the premiers of his country - our country - - have said we need help with. There are a number of significant and serious public policy issues here. They need to be addressed. They should be addressed co-operatively." [continues 432 words]