Grieving father warns kids about dangers of drugs after son's death SMOKE from a smudging stick and the warm breath of friends and family of Jeremy Hobson filled the front yard of the house where the 21-year-old accidentally overdosed and died on the weekend, during a ceremony held Thursday. Jeremy died after taking a pill, which he thought was OxyContin, at a gettogether with friends and cousins on Saturday night, according to his father Larry Hobson. Hobson said he thinks the pill that killed his son was laced with fentanyl. [continues 792 words]
WINKLER'S mayor vows that until the smoke clears on pot legalization, his community won't vote to allow retailers to sell recreational pot. Mayor Martin Harder says his council recently decided to ignore the province's Dec. 22 deadline to vote on the issue. "Our biggest issue is the rules keep changing," Harder said on Monday. "They said you have to vote by Dec. 22 and then the next one says you can have four years to have a plebiscite. We don't want to do that. [continues 443 words]
WINKLER - The City of Winkler will not honour the province's Dec. 22 deadline to indicate whether or not they'd be willing to have marijuana sold in the community. Mayor Martin Harder was the first municipal leader in Manitoba to make that statement and he said they don't feel they have enough facts to make a decision either way. "We haven't got any information," he said. "It's a moving target, and every time we get some information it's different than what we knew before." [continues 478 words]
WHEN politicians talk about the arrival of legal cannabis, they make it sound like it's going to be more trouble than it's worth. Oh, the worry. According to the narrative coming out of the federal and provincial capitals, legalizing pot is going to involve enormous costs with very little return, in terms of tax revenue. There are expected to be increased costs for provinces and municipalities in the areas of law enforcement, public education, health care and addictions treatment at a time when governments of all levels are having trouble generating the revenues needed to sustain core services. [continues 908 words]
So, pot czar Justin Trudeau, realizing his actual street dealers were on the verge of a revolt, turned to his Mr. Big, Bill Morneau, and told him to divvy up a more saleable split of the profits from upcoming pot deals. When profits are projected to be in the billions, honour among thieves, and we say "thieves" with all due respect, begins to lose its lustre. After all, it will be the street dealers who will be taking on the majority of the risk, meaning all those premiers hypnotized by dollar signs who will have to set up their own turf, build their own drug outlets, collect the juice from the sales, and deal with law enforcement should the criminal element invade their space. [continues 501 words]
Consumer advocacy group concerned marijuana treated differently than booze A consumer choice advocacy group has condemned the Manitoba government's plan to ban homegrown marijuana when it becomes legal in the country next year. David Clement, the North American affairs manager for the Consumer Choice Centre, an independent entity that aims to promote more choice and freedom for consumers, says the decision to ban the growing of pot in homes is "silly" questions why the ability Clement said the reason the CCC has spoken out is two-fold. [continues 366 words]
Re: Manitoba's legal age for cannabis to be set at 19: source (Dec. 5) With legislation now tabled, it has now become obvious that the federal Liberals and provincial Progressive Conservatives still believe the lies their governments told about cannabis for the last 100 years. It is ridiculous to ask 18-year-olds to risk their lives for their country in military service but not permit them to smoke cannabis legally. The idea that government should protect children from anything is just as ridiculous. Parents are the proper authorities to protect their children from all of life's never-ending dangers. Crony capitalism seems to be the driving force in "legalization." Legalization policies will make enforcement even more expensive than Prohibition was. Chris Buors Selkirk [end]
Province's age restriction, home-growing ban lack common sense GOVERNMENTS in Canada have been playing politics with marijuana for some time now. The promise to legalize cannabis helped Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his federal Liberals achieve a majority government in 2015, and now provincial governments across the country are coming to grips with legalization according to their own political principles. Some provincial governments (Quebec, Ontario, New Brunswick) are creating Crown corporations to be the legal marijuana dealers. Others (Manitoba, Alberta, Newfoundland) are letting the private sector run the stores. British Columbia just announced a retail solution that will include both the public and private sectors. [continues 893 words]
MORE than 21 per cent of adult Manitobans used cannabis in the past year and another 21.1 per cent may try it after legalization, new data from the Liquor and Gaming Authority of Manitoba suggests. The figures come from an anonymous phone survey of 1,201 adults in September. The alcohol and gambling regulator, whose mandate will include marijuana, says its sample is "quasi-representative" of the province's adult population. The survey found 55.2 per cent of Manitobans have used cannabis, with 16 being the most common age of initiation. [continues 282 words]
A SLIGHT majority of Manitobans disagree with Premier Brian Pallister's calls to delay federal legalization of cannabis in Canada, according to a new online poll from the Angus Reid Institute. Fifty-eight per cent of Manitoba respondents say, "The timeline should not be changed." Nationwide, 53 per cent of all respondents agree. The Angus Reid Institute's online poll used a sample of 1,510 Canadians who were randomly selected members of the pollster's proprietary Angus Reid Forum, which the website describes as a representative panel of "almost 130,000 Canadian households." The poll, conducted Nov. 14 to 20, includes a sample of 101 Manitobans. [continues 450 words]
Province sets 19 as minimum age to buy pot You'll have to be 19 to buy recreational marijuana in Manitoba and only eligible medicinal users will be able to grow weed at home. If provincial legislation introduced Tuesday passes as is, the minimum purchase and possession age for recreational cannabis will be one year older than both the federally required minimum and Manitoba's legal drinking age. The feds are set to legalize recreational pot on July 1, 2018. The province says setting a higher-than-required minimum consumption age will help keep marijuana out of schools and out of the hands of kids. [continues 825 words]
MANITOBANS will be prohibited from growing marijuana for recreational purposes at home after cannabis is legalized in 2018, should the provincial government's new Safe and Responsible Retailing of Cannabis Act become law. The bill was introduced by Justice Minister Heather Stefanson in the provincial legislative assembly Tuesday. Although the federal Cannabis Act will allow Canadian adults to grow up to four cannabis plants at their home, Stefanson said her government was banning the practice, primarily for two reasons. "This approach is consistent with our commitment to protect youth, and also responds directly to concerns that homegrown cannabis may be diverted to the black market," she told reporters Tuesday. [continues 702 words]
AS first reported in the Free Press, the Safe and Responsible Retailing of Cannabis Act will set the minimum age to buy and possess cannabis in Manitoba at 19, one year higher than the legal age requirement for purchasing alcohol. Tuesday's announcement means Manitoba is set to be the only province where the legal ages to use alcohol and cannabis don't match. Zach Walsh, a native Winnipegger who studies cannabis as a psychology professor at the University of British Columbia, said the age differential in Manitoba "seems a little incongruous." [continues 302 words]
Re: Marijuana in workplace focus of chamber panel (Nov. 29) There is a high incidence of marijuana use among fatally injured B.C. forestry workers (20 to 30 per cent), and Manitoba employers would be well advised to educate their workers on the harms posed by marijuana use. Canadians need look no further than to the country's health watchdog, Health Canada, for credible information and evidence-based advice on this matter. Health Canada's consumer information web page states unequivocally that using marijuana can impair concentration and reaction time. It is well established by scientific research that the less-than-regular user of marijuana products should not operate a motor vehicle for at least eight hours after consuming 18 mg or more of marijuana. [continues 72 words]
MANITOBANS will have to be at least 19 years of age to legally purchase and possess cannabis in the province after it is legalized, the Free Press has learned. The minimum age will be part of a new bill to be introduced today at the Manitoba Legislative Building, according to a government source familiar with the matter. According to the legislature's Monday notice paper, Justice Minister Heather Stefanson is scheduled to introduce the Safe and Responsible Retailing of Cannabis Act. [continues 322 words]
LEGALIZE and tax marijuana and the budget will balance itself - or so marijuana advocates, from stoners to recreational users to the prime minister, have tried to convince us of this for years. But they're all wrong. It makes some sense that a product so commonly used should be regulated rather than criminalized, sending its newly-enabled taxation revenues to the public coffers. Unfortunately, recent federal announcements and the examples of two U.S. states tell us that a fiscal boon from legal pot is nothing more than reefer madness. [continues 543 words]
Tracy Sanderson understood opioid addiction. Her daughter Kelsie began struggling with opioid addiction after she had a traumatic experience being tasered by RCMP officers. After drinking with some friends, Kelsie, who was 16 at the time, stole her parents' truck. When Sanderson received a call from RCMP officers, she said, "Keep my daughter overnight. She needs to learn a lesson." She did not expect to pick up a different girl the next day. "Something inside my daughter died that night," she said. That's when Kelsie's descent into fentanyl addiction began. [continues 986 words]
When the police came to Lois Fridfinnson's door and told her that her son, Michael Johnson, died from a methadone overdose, she fell to the floor. She thought that would be the worst day of her life. Her 23-year-old son struggled with opioid addiction. Michael had been waiting nearly three months to get into treatment. He had been given a two-day supply of methadone and was supposed to enter treatment on May 3, 2010. He died on May 1. [continues 1090 words]
As a power-lifter who could bench 340 pounds, a talented guitar player, and a driven young man with a strong work ethic who bought his own house at the age of 18, Jessie Kolb defied the stereotype of a fentanyl addict. If there's one thing his parents, Arlene Last-Kolb and John Kolb, have learned about opioid addiction is that it can happen to anyone and all the preconceived notions some people have about opioid addiction just perpetuate the stigma. [continues 1082 words]
IF you want to know how quickly this country is turning over a new leaf, consider the curious case of Julian Fantino. The tough-on-crime former Toronto police chief was eager to help lead the war against drugs - including cannabis - during his time as a cabinet minister in Stephen Harper's government. In fact, the record from the 2015 federal campaign is filled with public stands Fantino took about the danger of legalizing marijuana. And today? Well, the former politician has had his own epiphany on the pot-marked road to the legalization of marijuana. [continues 517 words]
When Dalton Fredericks took Jesse, his 18-year-old son, to the hospital because his son seemed dangerously high, he learned about the stigma associated with opioid addiction. "I took him to the hospital and I said, 'I want you to keep him here.' I went home and after three hours, I got a call from the hospital that they were releasing him," he said. The nurse told Fredericks that his son had been doing drugs, but there was not much they could do for him. He had the RCMP take Jesse into custody because he feared for his safety. [continues 1074 words]
Adam Watson didn't want to break his parents' hearts, and he did not want to die, but after battling opioid addiction for six years, he became the victim of a system woefully ill-equipped to help him. Adam tried a methadone program, he attempted to detox at the Main Street Project, he saw family physicians, he ended up in emergency four times in the throes of withdrawal, and he met with a counsellor at the Addictions Foundation of Manitoba (AFM). None of the treatment options or resources gave Adam the support he needed. [continues 544 words]
There seems to be a general euphoria with the upcoming legalization of marijuana while, at the same time, there is silence from the majority who oppose legalization. Perhaps one should look at why marijuana was made illegal in the first place. For many, it was a case of "We have enough problems with alcohol. If marijuana is legalized, we'll have twice as many drug problems." Others didn't want to live in a nation of zombies, where people are walking around stoned all day. [continues 69 words]
A GENERATION of Canadians who grew up with the "Just Say No" anti-drug messaging of the 1980s will find themselves in uncharted waters next summer. As of July 1, 2018, marijuana will be legal, which will radically change a lot of things - including, significantly, how we talk to our kids about it. Realistically, it's a conversation we should already be having. According to a 2013 UNICEF Office of Research report, Canadian youth are among the top users of marijuana in the developed world. [continues 503 words]
That fury you hear? The betrayal medical cannabis patients and activists feel after the federal government went back on yet another promise surrounding legal marijuana. Last Friday, the Department of Finance announced a federal tax proposal that could see an excise charge of $1/gram or 10% (whichever is higher) on both recreational and medical cannabis. According to Ottawa, the revenues will be shared equally between the feds, provinces and territories. So what are they smoking? The shady government is apparently 'concerned' users will lie to their doctors, pretend to be sick and navigate the complex workings of the medical cannabis system in order to save the extra 10% tax that would be reserved for recreational pot. [continues 480 words]
Questions raised about decision to allow municipal authority over sales PREMIER Brian Pallister's government went stone cold silent on legal retail cannabis Thursday while federal officials considered their reaction to Manitoba's plan of allowing municipal councils to have the final say on local sales. The federal government will brief reporters in Ottawa today on its plans to legalize and regulate recreational cannabis. But the Pallister government did not make the premier or any cabinet ministers available to the media Thursday and a communications staffer intervened when a reporter tried to ask Justice Minister Heather Stefanson about any possible reaction from Ottawa. [continues 650 words]
PREMIER Brian Pallister has always been coy about whether he has ever enjoyed the pleasures of cannabis. "I prefer beer," has become his standard retort when asked if he's ever taken a toke. Regardless of whether the premier smoked, inhaled or appreciated the mystic qualities of marijuana, you can bet he will learn to love the tax revenue that will flow from a legalized marketplace. Manitoba's plan for the legalized wholesale and retail sales of cannabis is pretty thin. Pallister has only confirmed a plan to have Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries act as a wholesale distributor, with retail sales going to the private sector. [continues 1006 words]
MGEU off-base when it comes to private pot stores Manitoba's largest union is accusing the Pallister government of compromising the safety of Manitobans and foregoing millions in profits by allowing private retailers to sell marijuana once it becomes legal next year. But as usual, the union provides some of the dumbest arguments possible to try to support its case. The province announced Tuesday that legal weed would be regulated by the Liquor and Gaming Authority but would be sold through private retail outlets. It would be much like how beer, wine and other liquor products are sold through vendors, private wine stores and private liquor outlets in rural Manitoba. The outlets are private but the products must be purchased through Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries Corp. [continues 539 words]
Legal pot sales could lead to $95M annual profits for province Legal pot sales in Manitoba could raise as much as $95 million a year for government after five years if the province could take over 80% of the black market, according to recent figures released by the Pallister government. The sales projections, which contemplate various levels of black market penetration, are based on selling marijuana products through stand-alone government stores. However, since the Pallister government has opted for private retail stores instead, updated projections could be higher or lower. [continues 217 words]
WINNIPEG - Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister signalled Monday that the province's private sector will be involved in the distribution of marijuana when recreational use is legalized next July. Pallister said details of the provincial plan to govern cannabis would be released Tuesday. He rejected earlier statements from the Manitoba Government and General Employees' Union that sales should be done exclusively through government-run stores. Pallister said there will be some sort of a "hybrid option" - public-sector regulation and distribution combined with private-sector delivery - that could take business away from the existing black market. [continues 305 words]
If Colorado is any indication, provincial coffers will be filled Premier Brian Pallister may not be holding out much hope that the province will cash in on a windfall of taxation revenue from the legalization of marijuana. But if skyrocketing sales of commercially-available weed in the state of Colorado - which legalized pot in 2012 - are any indication, the government of Manitoba could be in for a sizeable revenue stream once the industry shifts into high gear. Pallister announced Tuesday that recreational marijuana, which becomes legal on July 1, 2018 under federal legislation, will be regulated by the provincial Liquor and Gaming Authority but sold through private retail outlets. The province issued a request for proposals Tuesday to solicit bids from private retailers. [continues 593 words]
There's plenty of interest in selling legal pot in Manitoba. The province notes an expression of interest on the subject attracted more than 60 responses. Premier Brian Pallister said that bodes well for his government's goal to ensure official marijuana stores are accessible enough to undermine the black market. Pallister said the province aims to ensure access to marijuana sales within a 30-minute drive for 90% of Manitobans to meet that goal. "We wish to see broad coverage, broad availability," he said. [continues 204 words]
Province planning public-private hybrid plan A local advocate believes "Manitoba has an opportunity to be a country-wide leader" in marijuana legalization after the province announced plans to exclusively sell marijuana through private retailers. "Get ready for the green rush," said Steven Stairs, Winnipeg's most outspoken cannabis proponent and community organizer. On Tuesday, the Manitoba government revealed details of its hybrid public-private response to the federal government's impending legalization of recreational cannabis on July 1, 2018. It's a significant departure from the public-sector biased approach of at least one other province. [continues 393 words]
MANITOBA has become the first province to allow the private sector to play a central role in the future retail sales of recreational cannabis in Canada. The federal Cannabis Act, which is not yet law, would make the federal government responsible for regulating the production of recreational cannabis. Designing a system for distribution and sales will be up to provinces and territories. The Manitoba government's plan, which will let private retailers operate cannabis stores in conjunction with a government-owned regulation, distribution and supply regime, is a far cry from the all-public plans already revealed by some other provinces. [continues 299 words]
MANITOBANS are learning it will be their mayor and local council who will decide if legal retail cannabis can be sold in their communities next summer. Notwithstanding Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's promise to legalize pot nationally by July 1, and Premier Brian Pallister's months of accusing Ottawa of moving too fast, it turns out it will be a local decision. Municipal councils found out Tuesday, and Pallister's office confirmed Wednesday, that the province is giving them the same local power over pot as they have over Sunday shopping. [continues 927 words]
MANITOBA Premier Brian Pallister says he wants "the best of both worlds" by including both private and public sectors in the handling of legalized marijuana. Nevertheless, he was talking up the attractions of the private sector a lot more than the public Monday. The premier will release details of the government's request for proposals today. However, he repeated warnings Monday that gangs will not simply go away when cannabis becomes legal in Canada on July 1. The illegal gangs want to keep supplying the product that's been making them a lot of money, Pallister told reporters. "They know how to adapt. The competition isn't going to go away." [continues 334 words]
Province says top concern must be health, safety KEEPING cannabis out of the hands of minors will be of paramount concern when the Pallister government announces how the drug will be legally sold in Manitoba, Justice Minister Heather Stefanson says. Speaking Friday to the annual general meeting of the Manitoba Progressive Conservative party in Winnipeg, Stefanson blasted the federal government for rushing cannabis legalization and failing to estimate its associated costs, many of which are expected to fall to the provinces. [continues 520 words]
MANITOBA Liquor and Lotteries (MLL) wants to handle all angles of legal pot in Manitoba - everything including production, distribution and sales. The Crown corporation said Friday that it submitted an expression of interest to the government of Premier Brian Pallister in September. Pallister will issue a request for proposals Tuesday, setting out for anyone interested in getting a piece of the action in the legal pot business, where the government wants to go when cannabis becomes legal July 1. MLL declined Friday to elaborate or provide any further detail. [continues 240 words]
Premier urges ministers, civil service to declare any potential issues with business side of marijuana sales MANITOBA - Premier Brian Pallister has ordered cabinet ministers, their legislative assistants and senior civil servants to declare any possible conflicts of interest they may have with legalized marijuana, as he prepares to ramp up its implementation July 1. Pallister told reporters Wednesday he'll issue a request for proposals next Tuesday for anyone interested in being involved in the production, storage, and sale of legalized marijuana. [continues 363 words]
ANY Canadians can hardly wait for the day recreational use of marijuana becomes legal. As a medical doctor, I'm far less enthusiastic. I worry about two things: the experimental nature of marijuana in medical practice, and the public health consequences of legalized marijuana. Before you write me off as overly prudish or an anti-marijuana conservative, let me say I'm not opposed to legalized marijuana in principle - I'm just paying attention to the evidence, or rather, the lack of it. My concern is that as marijuana becomes more easily available, Canadians may become more inclined to self-medicate with what's been called a "miracle drug." [continues 619 words]
Tells colleagues to disclose any ties to marijuana industry Manitoba's premier is calling on his cabinet colleagues to declare any potential conflicts of interest related to the marijuana industry. Premier Brian Pallister said his government will release details of a request for proposals next Tuesday that relates to the sale of recreational marijuana, which the feds will legalize on July 1, 2018. Pallister said it's clearly time to ensure all those who could benefit from the marijuana business don't sway the outcome of that process. [continues 202 words]
Pallister tells cabinet to come clean on marijuana ties. How rare in politics - a leader setting a high moral and ethical standard. Premier Pallister deserves kudos for ensuring none of his cabinet minsters will gain financially when marijuana is legalized. I have not seen any "progressive" government leaders, including the Trudeau Liberals, setting this same high standard. Pot legalization is certainly open to financial gain by those with the inside information. Premier Pallister is also one of the few provincial leaders wanting the feds to slow down the legalization date. Trudeau came up with this risky plan for votes and new revenues, but it will be the premiers who will be saddled with the many negative unintended consequences. Larry Comeau (Sad he felt he had to. It should go without saying.) [end]
'That doesn't mean I like it,' Pallister says PREMIER Brian Pallister said Manitoba is "ahead of most other provinces" when it comes to preparing for federal legalization of cannabis by July 1. "That doesn't mean I like it,"he added at a press conference Tuesday afternoon. "I'm going to continue to express my concerns about the rapidity of this change; this is a significant change." The provincial government will unveil its approach to cannabis legalization "over the course of the next few weeks," Manitoba Justice Minister Heather Stefanson said. [continues 371 words]
Fentanyl traffickers are murderers, plain and simple On a warm Sunday, October afternoon, the kind of fall day when it seems anything is possible, I went to a funeral. I knew the dead man by proxy. I never met him. One of those things a dutiful partner does because it's the right thing to do. He was dead at 36. Fentanyl. Another casualty of the opioid epidemic ravaging cities and towns alike. Last summer a hometown buddy told me his daughter's friend, 14 at the time and with her whole life in front of her, was having a limited-time engagement at a local funeral parlour. [continues 439 words]
Real estate agents are worried about damage to home interiors with the proliferation of legal medical marijuana grow-ops in residences, even before marijuana is legalized in Canada. Peter Squire, vice-president of the Winnipeg Realtors Association, said members of the Canadian Real Estate Association were in Ottawa last week to meet with federal MPs. One of the chief topics discussed was Bill C-45, the law to make cannabis legal across Canada in July. "(The association) does have several concerns about the implications and consequences of personal cultivation for homes and homeowners," he said, noting damage from mould is a major issue. [continues 472 words]
For a government that promised to legislate using evidence-based science, the rapid approach of legalized marijuana in Canada is starting to look like a case study in blind faith. Last week, federal justice officials issued the next round of details in their impending pot law. In addition to existing impaired-by-drug laws that police are already using to prosecute drugged drivers, three new criminal offences are destined to be born to deal with pot-impaired driving all based on the quantity of THC found in a person's body. [continues 388 words]
There are concerns that once pot is legalized for recreational use, it'll be flying off the shelves at such a rate that those who justifiably need it for pain - medical users - won't be able to get their stash. Cannabis growers have been expanding their operations as fast as possible, and Health Canada is issuing more licences, but it still might not be enough to meet the coming demand. Some analysts expect a countrywide shortage once the cannabis market goes legit in July 2018. [continues 311 words]
ACCORDING to the Canadian Institute for Health Information, the rate of opioid poisoning hospitalizations has been steadily on the rise, with approximately 13 Canadians a day hospitalized for an opioid overdose in 2014-15. What began with the over-prescription of opioids such as OxyContin, a painkiller previously thought to have a low potential for addiction, led first to the diversion of legal drugs to the illegal market, and later to the dramatic expansion of the illegal production of fentanyl. As the horror stories of addiction and death have multiplied, it is now clear that what was once a medical issue is now a population health crisis. [continues 673 words]
Re: Plan to police cannabis-impaired driving full of holes: experts (Sept. 29) Can we stop the parade of nonsense about the dangers of the legalization of marijuana? People have been smoking marijuana for decades and the idea that there will be a crush of people rushing to use this drug and drive is unfounded. You cannot stop drug use by criminalizing it. You simply create victims and drug dealers. In my opinion, there should be two categories of drugs: recreational - such as alcohol, tobacco, caffeine, nicotine and marijuana - that we regulate, and ones that are available by prescription. Prescription drugs like opioids, and unregulated non-prescription drugs, like Tylenol, cause more deaths than all the recreational drugs combined. We know recreational drugs like alcohol and nicotine cause problems for some; making them legal won't change that, but it will create fewer victims and casualties than drug wars. Jerry Storie Winnipeg [end]
Schools have been called upon to teach more than the Three Rs for many decades now, but they should add one more assignment to their long list of lessons: Warning students about drug use, especially deadly opioids. There'll be some who'll say such a message will fall on deaf ears, but we have a duty to try. Today's young people deserve credit for their sensible approach to hazards such as cigarette smoking and impaired driving - they certainly exhibit more common sense than many of their predecessors. [continues 306 words]
Inside Manitoba
