City councillors are asking if new marijuana dispensaries should be kept away from schools and restricted like liquor stores. Worried about a proliferation of dispensaries and grow-ops when Ottawa legalizes recreational marijuana, Coun. Mike Nickel introduced a lengthy zoning inquiry at council's planning committee Wednesday. "We can't bury our heads in the sand any more on this . ... We need to be proactive," Nickel said, pointing to the way marijuana dispensaries spread in Vancouver, rivalling the number of Starbucks. [continues 397 words]
Re. "What's the big hurry to legalize marijuana," Letters, Oct. 29 It sounds like this letter writer is harvesting facts from the "Reefer Madness" crowd. The winds of change have been steadily blowing, clearing the air and the smoke and mirrors regarding marijuana prohibition are being realized for what they are - lies. I would much rather the occasional whiff of pot while walking down the street than be choked out by more hot air on the issue. Steven Zerebeski, Edmonton [end]
I would appreciate if letter writer Mr. White would verify his facts before disputing those in my recent letter. Maybe marijuana is not considered a narcotic in his state of Colorado, but in Canada it remains under the Narcotic Control regulations, laws I enforced for many years. If he took time to check recently released Washington State information he would have discovered road deaths 'have doubled' since it legalized marijuana. His own state of Colorado, that he claims has embraced legalized pot, in fact warned the Trudeau government to go slowly in its plans to legalize marijuana, especially because of the problems it has had keeping it out of the hands of its youth. Like so many advocates of pot legalization, Mr. White is trying to paint a very positive picture. Larry Comeau (Like with alcohol, there are downsides, but legalization is on it's way.) [end]
The Alberta government says it will begin providing funding to several community agencies working to establish safe drug consumption sites. The money will be used to "explore the need" for the controversial facilities, which have been touted as an effective harm-reduction strategy for people who use illegal narcotics. Alberta health leaders have grown particularly concerned by a rise in the use of powerful opioid drugs, such as fentanyl, which has led to hundreds of deaths in the province. "It's critical that we are addressing the fentanyl and opioid crisis from a health perspective and harm reduction is a major part of that," associate health minister Brandy Payne said Thursday in Edmonton. [continues 397 words]
The provincial government's announcement Thursday of funding to establish safe, supervised sites for opioid use is absolutely commendable, but unfortunately also like closing the barn door after the horse has bolted when it comes to the ever-growing crisis of fentanyl and opioid addiction and deaths in Alberta. From January 2015 to the end of June this year there were 427 deaths in Alberta associated with the highly-addictive and deadly opioid, fentanyl. Of those, 21 were in the South Zone. The increase has been dramatic, even spiralling. [continues 483 words]
I'm sure Larry Comeau means well (Letter: Hazy Policy, Oct. 26, 2016), however, cannabis (marijuana) is not a "drug" or "narcotic." If Comeau were to hold cannabis in his hand, he'd see it's a green plant. There's no evidence cannabis is responsible for increased traffic deaths in Washington state. Implying lies, half-truths and propaganda regarding cannabis doesn't make them true. It is commendable Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is ending cannabis prohibition in Canada. Colorado successfully re-legalized cannabis for adults and every subsequent poll indicates Colorado citizens continue supporting the end of cannabis prohibition. There is every reason to believe when Canada ends cannabis prohibition, the majority will not look back with regret either. Stan White Dillon, Colorado (The tide is shifting that way.) [end]
Regardless of what you call it, Alberta is getting into the business of harm reduction by giving drug users a safe place to take their drugs. Late last week the province announced it would provide funding for agencies working to establish supervised consumption sites, but for our neighbours to the west, these sites are known as supervised injection sites. According to Alberta Liberal Leader Dr. David Swann, the name change might be a result of previous governments conservative feelings about crime reduction, where people turned off by the idea of supervised injection sites can take a bit more comfort if they're called supervised consumption sites. [continues 160 words]
Legal weed is coming, and the city wants to keep its voice in the federal government's ear rather than see its chance to be part of the conversation go up in smoke. As Ottawa inches toward a spring 2017 timeline to unveil legislation on the legalization of marijuana, city administration will offer a proposed advocacy position to the intergovernmental affairs committee at their meeting Thursday. "Administration is seeking to further refine an advocacy position on a number of key themes relating to legalization, regulation and restriction of access to marijuana," the report reads. [continues 380 words]
Legal weed is coming, and the city wants to keep its voice in the federal government's ear rather than see its chance to be part of the conversation go up in smoke. As the feds inch closer toward a spring 2017 timeline to unveil legislation on the legalization of marijuana, city administration will offer up a proposed advocacy position to the intergovernmental affairs committee at their meeting Thursday. "Administration is seeking to further refine an advocacy position on a number of key themes relating to legalization, regulation and restriction of access to marijuana," the report reads, in part. [continues 383 words]
Re. "How many really want legal pot?," Brian Hutchinson, Oct. 27 What's with the big rush to legalize cannabis? Doesn't the health-care system already spend billions to cover the costs of smoking-related illnesses that could've been avoided if people didn't smoke in the first place? Marijuana, medical or otherwise, has just as many tars, toxins and carcinogens as tobacco, if not more. Don't we spend tens of millions to warn people smoking is bad for them? Oh well, tax revenues are healthy. [continues 116 words]
Re: Impaired driving laws a speed bump to legalize pot. I just read where road deaths have doubled in Washington State since it legalized pot a few years ago. That being said, in promising to legalize this narcotic for votes, Prime Minister Trudeau simply ignored that no road test existed to test for intoxication by inhaling this drug. Another major problem was recently highlighted by the Canadian Medical Association, which declared nobody under 21 should be able to buy this narcotic because of the real risk of them suffering psychosis and other mental issues if consumed at a young age. I sure wish the Trudeau government would be half the effort it is putting into legalized marijuana into growing our economy and creating jobs! Larry Comeau (Can Trudeau walk and chew gum at the same time?) [end]
The Canadian government' s push to legalize marijuana must be handled very carefully and should be heavily regulated to avoid potential pitfalls, Alberta's justice minister cautioned following a recent fact-finding mission to pot-friendly Colorado. "(Colorado's) experience didn't solve all of the problems that maybe some proponents suggested that it might do," Kathleen Ganley said in an interview Monday. "But it also didn't result in a whole bunch of new criminal activity that some detractors might suggest. "The important thing is around regulating it to ensure that everyone remains safe." [continues 459 words]
Among most pressing is devising marijuana version of breathalyzer Without a reliable roadside test to conclusively prove a driver is impaired by marijuana, avoiding wrongful convictions when weed is legalized in Alberta could be a problem. That was one of the take-aways for Alberta Justice Minister Kathleen Ganley after her trip to Denver, Colo., last week where she met with officials to pick their brains about what systems need to be in place in this province if and when marijuana is legalized. [continues 439 words]
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has a mandate to legalize pot. He ran on it in last year's election. But as Postmedia's just completed, six-part series "O Cannabis" illustrates, it's one thing to promise legalization, another to deliver it. The biggest challenge facing the Liberals is how to regulate and tax the sale of marijuana -- an estimated $7 billion-a-year underground business in Canada, that could increase to $10 billion to $20 billion with legalization. The problem is that if the government makes legal pot too expensive, then the black market in it will continue to thrive. [continues 281 words]
Re: "Leaders huddle in search of drug scourge solutions," Oct. 18. Kathleen Ganley's repeated response to the fentanyl crisis is very disappointing. The Alberta government says it does not want to declare a public emergency because this would give the government unnecessary powers. This position is facile. To solve this crisis, the government does not have to break into people's homes unannounced and without a warrant, even if they have the power to do so. The government needs to think outside of the box. They might then accept that the war on drugs has been lost. They might research alternative progressive approaches adopted by other countries. [continues 56 words]
It's high time for many parents to start thinking about how they're going to talk to their kids about marijuana. The Trudeau government has said it will make the drug legal next spring, fulfilling a campaign promise that, in part, helped them to a majority government. While the Liberals have wavered on some of the things they said they'd deliver if they took power, they appear to remain committed to ending pot prohibition. When that happens, the bud will go from verboten to mainstream, and expected to be regulated, sold and taxed like alcohol. [continues 560 words]
Krieger helped lead the way to legalization of medical marijuana To lose his legacy in a haze of legalized pot would be an injustice. Not that Grant Krieger isn't feeling lost enough these days, some seven years after he abandoned his crusade to use and supply medicinal marijuana, as a real and effective treatment for conditions like the multiple sclerosis he's battled for decades. "I could be better, and I could be worse, but I'm just so frustrated at the way things ended," says Krieger, from his home in Calgary. "I'm just a hermit now." Obviously he has the right to feel he didn't go far enough - but for those on the outside, including journalists who watched Krieger deliberately disobey the law in order to force Canada to reassess it's stance on marijuana, it's what the man started that should make him proud. [continues 581 words]
With regard to the legalizing of pot in our country. Will the Canadian government create a sub province where there is no smoking, no drinking and no drugging, and therefore no BS that goes with all that. I know we need money, but why don't we cut to the chase and have, ideally, no smoking, no drinking, no drugging, no Internet until after 40, no texting and no money. Sounds like peace. When I run for prime minister, that's the way it's got to be. I know, I know I won't get any votes. Oh well. More and more we humans as a species cannot handle the technological wonders the good Lord blesses us with. Oh ya, and bring back the Bible! David Gillard (Gotta ban dancing, too.) [end]
Provincial officials head to Colorado to study weed industry Alberta's Justice Minister and Solicitor General is Colorado-bound to see how the state has handled legal weed. Kathleen Ganley said with marijuana's legalization in Canada imminent, it's prudent to look at best practices and lessons learned from a place that's pioneered the way. "The federal government will set the tone, if you will, or set the broad strokes for how restrictive the model is going to be and a whole number of other things, but then provinces will have to step in because some of it will be in provincial jurisdiction ... and of course our policing partners, as well, will have a large role to play, and municipalities probably as well ," Ganley said. "We're looking to all move together. [continues 274 words]
It's not enough for police to crack down on drug dealers to combat Alberta's fentanyl scourge, it will take the efforts of health and other sectors to combat the crisis, says the provincial justice minister. "Opioid addiction is not new in Alberta, but fentanyl is particularly deadly so, in a way, it's sort of brought the problem to the forefront, which means that we need to work expeditiously to address that," Kathleen Ganley said Monday. "It's certainly the case that this needs to be addressed on the enforcement side, but it also needs to be addressed on other fronts, so specifically health - ensuring that people have access to counselling, treatment beds, opioid replacement therapies." [continues 445 words]
Inside Alberta
