Group to ask about opioid crisis at town hall Edmontonians will line up at MacEwan University on Thursday in hopes of getting face time with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Moms Stop the Harm, a group of parents who have lost children to drug overdoses, plans to have 10 to 15 members at the town hall to challenge the PM on the opioid crisis. "It's very upsetting for us how silent he has been on this issue," said group member Petra Schulz. "There are thousands of Canadian families like ours that are mourning the loss of a loved one, and the prime minister has not even spoken on the issue in the house." [continues 310 words]
Edmonton is giving more naloxone kits to those who need them, but much more work is required on the underlying drivers of the fentanyl and opioid crisis. That was the message left with city council after their quarterly update Wednesday. Dr. Chris Sikora, Alberta Health Services' medical officer of health, Edmonton zone, said childhood trauma and social factors such as poverty and a lack of housing leave people susceptible to addiction. With fentanyl, those addictions are taking an even more tragic turn. [continues 233 words]
AHS teaming up with two universities to study effects of cannabis on the brain If you have smoked five joints a week, every week, for the past year, then science needs you. A research collaboration between Alberta Health Services, the University of Alberta and MacEwan University is studying 120 healthy Edmontonians aged between 18 and 35 to understand the short and long-term effects of cannabis use and its residual effects on cognition, motor skills and sensory skills. It will also look at how people with mental illness are affected by cannabis. [continues 266 words]
StatsCan can tell you the answer to that Albertans are paying just under $8 a gram for marijuana on average, according to a new Statistics Canada report. The Cannabis Economic Report ranked average prices of medical and non-medical cannabis between provinces and found Alberta is slightly above the national average and the highest of the Prairies at $7.67. The national average is $7.48. Manitoba has the cheapest weed at $6.69 per gram, while the territories rank the highest at $9.58. [continues 106 words]
The opioid crisis affecting Canada and the world has surfaced in a significant dangerous way here in Lethbridge. This rampant drug abuse involving fentanyl, labelled as the "new alcohol," is being driven by factors that can and should be controlled by our own community activities or lack thereof. Much is being done to deal with the crisis, i.e. safe Injection site and other initiatives. Nevertheless, little is being done to deal with the underlying causes driving this crisis. Currently, our own Lethbridge Shelter is accommodating homeless citizens, many of whom are affected by addictions, homelessness, job loss, poverty. Many are selling drugs to put food in their bellies. On average, 65 per cent of the clientele are aboriginal. The shelter has become a refuge for drug dealers and users banished from the Blood Reserve - many as a direct result of the new "trespass" policy on the reserve. The Blood Tribe does not want them, and neither does Lethbridge. [continues 204 words]
Drunk driving laws have not stopped impaired drivers and pot will be no different Last Sunday, I was driving on John Laurie Blvd. when I caught up to a motorist in the passing lane who was doing 40 km/h in a 70 km/h zone. As I pulled out to pass him on the right, I could smell the stench of marijuana coming from his car. Wait until marijuana is legal in Canada and then more of these bozos will be on the road. In Colorado, where marijuana has been legal for almost four years, a recent poll by the Colorado Department of Transportation showed that 55 per cent of people there think it's perfectly all right to drive while stoned. As Time magazine reported, the poll also found that of the people surveyed who had used pot in the past 30 days, half thought it was fine to drive while high. Why should Alberta's potheads think any differently when legalization arrives here? Some of them, like the guy on John Laurie, aren't even waiting till then. [continues 499 words]
Health: Veterinarian speaks out over dangers of drug, signs of intoxication in pets Foothills veterinarians are expressing concerns animals could be exposed to marijuana when the drug is legalized in July. Dr. Tony Gerrow, at the Okotoks Veterinary Clinic, said he's seen several cases of intoxicated dogs over his 35 years and anticipates more with legalization looming. "If there are marijuana products available to the pets, whether it's accidental ingestion or it's second-hand smoke, I'm sure we're going to see more of those cases," said Gerrow. [continues 593 words]
A University of Calgary researcher says the city's supervised consumption site is important not only for people who use opioids, but for those who consume other substances such as meth, which was cited as the most frequently used substance during a recent study of drug users in Calgary. The research was conducted as part of a harm reduction needs assessment for Calgary that launched in June 2017 and wrapped up in the fall. The study included 370 people in the city who use substances other than alcohol or marijuana. [continues 472 words]
Prescribed opiates rarely hit streets, writes Barry Ulmer. The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta is happy lately, at least according to the medical regulator's new registrar. Dr. Scott McLeod wrote in these pages last week that doctors contributed to Alberta's "opioid crisis" by over-prescribing, and now they're going to help fix it. "We need to prescribe opioids more appropriately," he wrote, "and that means less. Already, prescriptions for Albertans in pain are way down, and that's terrific." [continues 660 words]
More than 40 client support workers have been hired With staff training well underway, officials at the city's supervised drug consumption centre will be ready once building contractors have finished their work. Renovations on the 1 Avenue S. structure - a night club and bar for many decades - started last fall. Stacey Bourque, executive director of the Arches harm reduction agency, says it's a little behind schedule because of a decision to install a new fire detection and sprinkler system. [continues 285 words]
Made-in-Alberta protocols change ways dogs sniff out fentanyl Alberta RCMP is leading the way when it comes to new police service dog drug detection protocols. Previously, sticking their nose in drugs was a police dog's business, but now the canines sit beside suspected drugs when they are found, said K Division Deputy Commissioner Todd Shean in a year-end interview. "Now the dogs are sitting back ... so if they detect it - versus putting the dogs in harm's way - they sit," Shearn said. [continues 234 words]
Permanent facility replaces stop-gap trailer at Chumir Health Centre A permanent supervised drug consumption site will open its doors in the Sheldon M. Chumir Health Centre on Monday, replacing a temporary facility that handled 2,551 visits by more than 300 people in two months. Claire O'Gorman, program coordinator with Safeworks, said 55 overdoses were reversed between Oct. 30 and Dec. 31 at the trailer outside the health centre. "There's 55 lives saved already," she said during a tour of the facility Friday. "We're making a difference here in our community." [continues 450 words]
At some point this summer, Justin Trudeau expects to make good on his promise to legalize recreational marijuana use across Canada. The Senate thus-far has spoiled Trudeau's plans to kick off Canada Day with a country-wide high, and may yet delay or otherwise thwart speedy implementation of his Cannabis Act. The provinces, meanwhile, are working to flesh out the regulatory details that will govern the sale, purchase, distribution and use of pot across the country. However, the reality of marijuana legalization is fast approaching, raising the question, how do Canadians feel about legal pot now that it is upon us? [continues 553 words]
Let's shift our approach, writes Dr. Trina Larsen Soles The opioid epidemic is the biggest public health crisis to hit in decades. One potential response, in addition to opening more supervised consumption sites, providing better access to Naloxone kits, urging people not to use alone, and trying to stop tainted drugs from being accessible - could be to deepen our public understanding and shift our approach to a more compassionate and effective outcome: recognizing and addressing the underlying role of adverse childhood experiences and how they make individuals more vulnerable to substance use. [continues 575 words]
Re. "Opioids kill hundreds," Dec. 28 This is a terrible tragedy and health professionals need to be supported in their evidence-based efforts to prevent these deaths. However, this story, like many media reports, inaccurately frames the approval of four supervised drug injection sites in Edmonton as a "positive development" in efforts to prevent these deaths. In contrast, the Journal's headline on the day after these sites were announced was "Injection sites may do little for fentanyl crisis, experts say" (Feb. 23, 2017). [continues 118 words]
Re: "Marijuana isn't without its risks," Letter, Jan. 4. As is typical of marijuana scaremongers, Jack Falk misconstrues the fact that marijuana metabolites are detectable in the body for a longer period than alcohol. The effects of marijuana (the high, if you will), however, are fairly short-lived (two to three hours if smoked, six to 12 hours if ingested). The letter writer needs to educate himself a little before making such easily repudiated claims. Ted Tarrant, Calgary [end]
At least 200 potential marijuana retailers have expressed interest in setting up shop in Calgary, says the city official responsible for planning for the impending legalization of recreational cannabis. Matt Zabloski said retail expectations could be getting out of hand, depending on provincial directives on how such shops will be located and regulated - guidelines that should be provided next month. "There are a lot of people putting a lot of money into this now and there are no guarantees," said Zabloski, who's working with as many as 17 city business units to prepare for legalization, expected to take effect this summer. [continues 535 words]
Second-hand smoke concerns will cut into consumption The war on drugs is about to get a lot more interesting, here in Alberta. And not because of another tough-talking "lock everyone up and throw away the keys" politician. Heck, we've seen that lot come and go without making the slightest dent in an age-old problem, though it did help get them elected. Nope, that was just blather, bluster and tossing peanuts to the gallery. Sure, politicians and law enforcement agencies love that standby news conference where oodles of some drugs, bundles of cash and a few handguns and semiautomatic weapons are proudly displayed for effect. [continues 588 words]
ALERT boss says officers will focus on keeping up with tech-savvy bad guys Disarming and dismantling the upper echelon of organized crime groups in Alberta is in the sights of the province's dedicated guns and gang investigators in 2018, says the province's integrated law enforcement boss. But in order to disrupt the complex networks of drug-running and gun-toting criminals in Alberta, officers will need to stay ahead of the technology curve as these groups - which include some of the province's most notorious outlaw motorcycle gangs - are becoming increasingly tech savvy. [continues 483 words]
Re: "Nothing to fear from legal pot," Letter, Jan. 3. Comparing pot's effects to alcohol is apples and oranges. The effects of alcohol leave the body when the alcohol is gone (or soon after). The effects of pot most assuredly do not. Consider this the next time you're returning from vacation on a late-night flight: The air traffic controller has returned from days off, during which time he can use weed as he wishes. It's a quiet night, and he sits back, all mellow and relaxed, then starts issuing instructions to the wrong aircraft. This is but one possibility. Think about jobs such as an oil worker on the floor of a drilling rig, or a highrise construction worker - or your surgeon poised over your brain with a scalpel. Jack Falk, Calgary [end]
Marijuana dispensary firms' efforts to launch dozens of franchises and shops in Calgary has ignited concerns of a chaotic scramble ahead of the drug's recreational legalization. Calgary-based Spiritleaf has attracted 40 entrepreneurs willing to put up a $25,000 franchise fee to operate a cannabis retailing store under the company's name, said CEO Darren Bondar. "We're well-positioned to be ahead of the game and being an iconic brand based in Alberta," said Bondar, who has exhibited at marijuana industry expos in the city. [continues 512 words]
Re: "Pot's harm exceeds value of tax revenue," Letter, Dec. 29. The letter writer's opinion could not be further off the mark. Legalization has nothing to do with a legacy for the prime minister. It is about fulfilling a campaign promise (finally) and growing scientific data. I voted for Justin Trudeau based on that promise. The prohibition of marijuana has been a complete failure. I encourage you to not make statements based on your own fears and absence of facts. And let me guess - you brought in the new year drinking alcohol, which was once prohibited because of its dangers to our social fabric. The hypocrisy is coming to end, thankfully. Wes Armitage, Calgary [end]
Edmonton police brace for cannabis legalization Edmonton police will not be ready to enforce cannabis-impaired driving laws in time for legalization, according to chief Rod Knecht. In a year-end interview with Metro, Knecht said he expects to see an uptick in impaired driving in 2018 - but without tools to accurately test for pot the way Breathalyzers test for alcohol, he doesn't know how officers will deal with it. "We are, quite frankly, not the least bit prepared for it," he said. [continues 297 words]
Calgary Staff, students developing on provincial pot policy How does weed fit in with higher education? It's hard to draw a conclusion. With only months to go before the federal government lights up marijuana legislation, Calgary's post-secondary institutions are just beginning the process of establishing how dope will fit into academic life. Both the University of Calgary and Mount Royal University have lit up their own marijuana working groups to look at the federal and provincial rules and pack their own policies through their respective governance processes. [continues 303 words]
Re: "Why the big rush to legalize pot?," Letter, Dec. 23. Mike Priaro has it right. We must look in the direction of Colorado in the U.S. They were a vanguard state in the legalization of marijuana. Originally, the idea was sold on the promise of all this additional tax revenue from pot sales. Unfortunately, it did not turn out the way they had envisioned it. What happened, among other negatives, was that the newly created health care costs exceeded the tax income by a large margin. So, the initial win-win situation turned into a lose-lose proposition. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's wish to legalize marijuana in Canada is about creating his legacy. Caspar Pfenninger, Calgary [end]
Legalizing marijuana will tie up police resources and risks clogging the court system, Edmonton police Chief Rod Knecht says in a blunt assessment of Canada's plan to legalize the drug by next summer. "I don't think we're going to be ready," Knecht said during a yearend interview at Edmonton Police Service headquarters. "There's a lot of work that's got to be done in the next few months." Legalization is one of the biggest issues facing police services across the country next year. Police chiefs including Knecht have warned that the timelines are too tight and there are too many outstanding issues, including ambiguity around roadside tests for marijuanaintoxication. [continues 359 words]
Police use discretion when deciding whether to lay charges for possession Despite the Liberal government's plan to legalize marijuana possession next July, the drug's possession remains illegal. But while the law is still in place, police officers have discretion not to lay charges, a senior officer with the Calgary Police Service said. Staff Sgt. Mark Hatchette, of the strategic enforcement unit, said officers have and will continue to have leeway when it comes to pot possession. "We don't target (simple possession)," Hatchette said in a recent interview. [continues 437 words]
Why is the federal government in such a hurry to pass its marijuana legalization legislation when there are still so many questions and so few answers? Just this week, the Alberta Association of Chiefs of Police said that the legislation is coming too fast, stating that, "There is insufficient time to prepare the necessary legislative framework and regulations to ensure the public safety". The Canadian Association of Police Chiefs warned that it will be "impossible" to be ready for the government's target of legalizing marijuana by July 2018. Do these things not matter? [continues 193 words]
With the coming switch to legal sales, shops hope to keep their market niche After decades of trail-blazing cannabis-related retail - often under police scrutiny - Calgary head shops say legal recreational marijuana offers them a hazy future. Despite a perception looming legislative changes might affirm their bong-and-roach-clip business model, those first in on cannabis monetization say the coming reality leaves them in uncharted waters. It's not entirely clear what head shops' role will be in the sale of legal bud, or if coming pot dispensaries will burn their business by also selling accessories, said Fred Pattison, owner of the Next Level store. Even marijuana's mainstreaming and the expansion of e-retail poses a threat, he said. [continues 421 words]
Higher-potency opioids lead to concerns about how to keep inmates and staff safe Alberta correctional facilities have recorded more than 120 overdoses in the past two years, and dozens more in federal prisons in the province, new statistics show. Postmedia obtained the data after a string of overdoses at the Edmonton Remand Centre. Since Nov. 29, at least three inmates at the remand centre have been found unresponsive in their cells after apparent overdoses, one of whom died. Despite efforts to keep contraband out of correctional institutions - including the use of ion scanners, body scanners and detector dogs - the statistics show deadly opioids such as fentanyl are still getting in. [continues 600 words]
The City of Medicine Hat is preparing for the Canada-wide legalization of marijuana in 2018, but in the absence of final rules from other levels of government, local regulations remain a work in progress, officials said this week. "It is a big cumbersome process, and we're on track to be ready for July, but we'll see a lot of activity in the next six months," commissioner Stan Schwartzenberger told Wednesday's meeting of the development and infrastructure committee. [continues 465 words]
Paraphernalia retailers wait for smoke to clear as legalization of marijuana draws near After decades of trailblazing cannabis-related retail - often under police scrutiny - Calgary head shops say legal recreational marijuana offers them a hazy future. Despite a perception looming legislative changes might affirm their bong and roach clip business model, those first in on cannabis monetization say the coming reality leaves them in uncharted waters. It's not entirely clear what head shops' role will be in the sale of legal bud, or if coming pot dispensaries will burn their business by also selling accessories, said Fred Pattison, owner of the Next Level store. [continues 387 words]
Alberta correctional facilities have recorded more than 120 overdoses in the past two years, and dozens more in federal prisons in the province, new statistics show. Postmedia obtained the data after a string of overdoses at the Edmonton Remand Centre. Since Nov. 29, at least three inmates at the remand centre have been found unresponsive in their cells after apparent overdoses, one of whom died. Despite efforts to keep contraband out of correctional institutions - including use of ion scanners, body scanners and detector dogs - the statistics show deadly opioids such as fentanyl are still getting in. [continues 465 words]
Owner of one business said he 'wanted to be a role model' for future dispensaries City police have shut down two south Edmonton cannabis operations, but the owner of one says he was just trying to help medical marijuana patients fill their prescriptions. "I really wanted to be a role model for the city and to get this done right. I wanted them to work with me, not against me," David Tiefenbach, one of the owners of MediJoint, 7809 109 St., said Thursday. [continues 386 words]
Cops close two cannabis dispensaries, multiple charges pending City police have shut down two south Edmonton cannabis dispensaries, but the owner of one says he was just trying to help medical marijuana patients fill their prescriptions. "I really wanted to be a role model for the city and to get this done right. I wanted them to work with me, not against me," David Tiefenbach, one of the owners of Medijoint, 7809 109 St., said Thursday. Tiefenbach said he was trying to establish a legitimate dispensary, which police raided and closed Dec. 13. [continues 474 words]
Opioids linked to 95% of overdoses in provincial facilities through 2016 Alberta correctional facilities have recorded more than 120 overdoses in the past two years, and dozens more in federal prisons in the province, new statistics show. Postmedia obtained the data after a string of overdoses at the Edmonton Remand Centre. Since Nov. 29, at least three inmates at the remand centre have been found unresponsive in their cells after apparent overdoses, one of whom died. Despite efforts to keep contraband out of correctional institutions - including use of ion scanners, body scanners and detector dogs - the statistics show deadly opioids such as fentanyl are still getting in. [continues 602 words]
Re: "Pot use likely to plague workplaces," Letter, Nov. 30. I have to disagree with Larry Comeau. Marijuana is not a dangerous drug. There is not a "greatly enhanced risk" of young people developing psychosis as a result of cannabis usage. The medical evidence is equivocal, and, of course, as a physician, I would caution the use of marijuana in people under the age of 25. (Not that advice would make any difference anyway). However, the almost hysterical opposition to legalization of marijuana is simply wrong, by all scientific standards. James Currie, Calgary [end]
Several people now face drugrelated charges It's not legal yet. Police sent out a stern warning Thursday after shutting down two cannabis dispensaries in south Edmonton - including one that required prescriptions for purchase - and making several arrests. "We want the owners and employees of these illegal cannabis operations to be aware that they're breaking the law, and that we'll continue to enforce that law until such time those laws are changed," said Edmonton Police Service Insp. Shane Perka. [continues 503 words]
College's information outdated, says James Moir. The Alberta College of Family Physicians (ACFP) recently published a statement reflecting their stance on medical cannabis, basically stating there is insufficient evidence to recommend it, and that adverse effects outweigh any benefits. As a physician working in Edmonton's only legitimate "physician-and-nurse-run" cannabinoid medical clinic, I must object strongly to this stance. I have an MD from the University of Alberta, with five years' subspecialty training in anesthesiology and pain medicine, and have over 20 years clinical experience in this area. I have five years' experience in perioperative medicine and extra training in cannabinoid medicine, which allows me to prescribe medical cannabis and work in the clinic, where I have been for the better part of a year. [continues 572 words]
Concern that sites will be clustered in the inner city Just a few years ago, supervised consumption sites seemed like a pipe dream for public health advocates in Edmonton. But the opioid crisis, highlighted by alarming rates of fentanyl overdose deaths, sparked a major shift in public opinion and policy. In October, Health Canada officially gave the green light to five sites in Alberta, including four in Edmonton - all of which are scheduled to be up and running in early 2018. [continues 326 words]
Unreasonable retail prices will not drive people to buy legally As Canadians prepare to celebrate the New Year, the country's provincial and federal governments continue to work on legalizing cannabis. Provided everything comes together according to initial plans, the monumental policy failure that has for decades treated a health issue as a criminal one - otherwise known as prohibition - will finally be over this summer. But a growing question looms as leaders attempt to legislate the substance. At a proposed price point that does not even make the slightest attempt to compete seriously with rates available on the black market, will people actually be convinced to ditch their dealers and do business with legal, regulated retailers? [continues 531 words]
Everyone knows what use of marijuana does. Ability to focus changes for worst, ability to multi task changes for worst, performance and speed of work changes for worst. Willpower diminished and so on. So as a small-business owner (restaurant), now I will have to pay more for minimum wage, and actually might get less work done with someone with dumb grin on his face and a large appetite. How about the medical profession, medical labs and professions, where accuracy and attention to detail is crucial? And if someone decides to fire that particular employee, I can already imagine the labour board taking sides with that employee and filling lawsuit for wrongful dismissal. Thanks, Justin. Mike Soch (Why would you assume employees are going to get high for work? Do they currently get hammered?) [end]
Billions of dollars have been spent by Canadian governments dissuading young people from taking up tobacco use, and it is finally having a positive effect. Therefore, now making an even more dangerous and addictive drug, legal, certainly will require public education aimed at parents and young children. With studies in the U.K., U.S.A. and by the Canadian Medical Association all conclusively showing young people using cannabis run a greatly enhanced risk of suffering psychosis and other mental issues later in life, education should have preceded legalization. Larry Comeau, Ottawa [end]
Re: "Irksome issues around cannabis legalization," Licia Corbella, Opinion, Dec. 16. Canadians need to be surveyed on far more marijuana harms than just the risk of driving marijuana impaired. Health Canada has identified conditions for which the use of marijuana is strictly contraindicated. Our country's health watchdog advises men to avoid the use of marijuana if they want to start a family. How many Canadians understand the science that links marijuana to a heightened probability of testicular cancer, sterility and damage to DNA? How many Canadians are aware of the scientific evidence that suggests marijuana can negatively impact pre- and post-natal development? Such warnings, provided from Health Canada and the Canadian Centre on Substance Use, are not the rantings of reefer madness, but rather, statements by highly regarded institutions. Pamela McColl, Vancouver [end]
Most Albertans support the provincial government's proposed regulations for legalized marijuana, according to a new Insights West poll. Almost two-thirds of respondents to the online poll agree with the decision to prevent pot stores from selling alcohol, tobacco or pharmaceuticals, while 77 per cent favour setting 18 as the legal age for buying marijuana. While 60 per cent of Albertans support legalization, up five percentage points since a national poll done in October 2016, the poll found a split along party lines. [continues 310 words]
Albertans high on province's marijuana plans: Poll Most Albertans support the provincial government's proposed regulations for legalized marijuana, according to a new Insights West poll. Almost two-thirds of respondents to the online poll agree with the decision to prevent pot stores from selling alcohol, tobacco or pharmaceuticals, while 77 per cent favour setting 18 as the legal age for buying marijuana. While 60 per cent of Albertans support legalization, up five percentage points since a national poll done in October 2016, the poll found a split along party lines. [continues 171 words]
The head of Edmonton's Police Service looks ahead to 2018 with skepticism around supervised consumption sites, Edmonton Police Service Chief Rod Knecht says police have had a good but "extremely busy" year. Metro asked him about some of the year's biggest stories and what to expect in 2018. The interview has been edited for space. Metro: Cannabis will be legal July 1. Has EPS backed off marijuana related arrests since legalization was announced? We're busy. Obviously there's lots of crimes, and we enforce crime on priority. [continues 694 words]
Re: High Workforce, Mike Soch. Mr. Soch is exactly right that with the legalization of pot on July 1, 2018, we can expect many more workplace injuries. We only have to look at what has happened in Colorado, where after legalization, workplace injuries rose from 6-20%. Too many people erroneously try to equate using marijuana with alcohol. Whereas alcohol leaves the system in about 12 hours, THC can stay in one's system for many days. This means someone getting stoned the night before, may be unknowingly still quite impaired when they show up for work the next day. This will be a particular problem in the mining and oil industry where there is heavy equipment, thus the reason some companies like Suncor want mandatory drug testing. Larry Comeau (C'mon, let's not go all Reefer Madness.) [end]
Since being equipped with naloxone nasal spray last December, Calgary firefighters have administered the opioid overdose antidote to 326 patients. That's nearly once a day, said fire Chief Steve Dongworth, who noted the department has also seen an increase in overdose calls. "We often go to overdose calls where we don't necessarily administer Narcan (the trade name of the drug), for one reason or another, and we've seen a significant increase in the volume of those, year over year - from under 400 calls in 2016 to nearly 1,100 in 2017 to date," said Dongworth. "So that's close to a 300 per cent increase." [continues 387 words]
Inside Alberta
