When the federal government enacts legislation to legalize recreational marijuana next year, Ryan Murray hopes Saskatchewan sets the age limit at 19 - the province's legal drinking age. "There shouldn't be an age difference," said Murray, co-owner of Cannabis Health Clinic in Regina. "From the research I've done, access to cannabis before the age of 21 isn't necessarily the best thing unless it's for medical purposes." On Thursday, the federal government introduced the long-awaited bill to legalize marijuana. The suite of bills would establish 18 as the minimum legal age to buy pot. The new legislation will allow provinces, territories and municipalities to tailor rules for their jurisdictions. [continues 543 words]
Officers from across the province, including in P.A. undergo training to help take those who are driving while impaired by drugs off the road Police across the province learning how to identify drivers impaired by drugs A number of police officers from across Saskatchewan, including members of the Prince Albert Police Service, are receiving training to learn how to recognize drivers impaired by drugs. Unlike impaired driving due to alcohol, there is no roadside-screening device which can indicate whether someone has been driving under the influence of a drug to the point where they have become impaired. [continues 528 words]
Patrol group hopes similar fate awaits other notorious buildings There have been many sombre walks through North Central for White Pony Lodge members in recent times, but on Thursday the neighbourhood patrol group was celebrating as a notorious local building was torn down. With the city sending in a contractor to demolish the multi-unit dwelling at 1454 Angus St., Jan Morier and Shawna Oochoo met at the site and embraced as the longtime drug den was reduced to nothing. "The number of times we have come to this property to try and clean it up? It's all worthwhile now to see that finally it's going to be cleaned up for good," Morier said. [continues 328 words]
Friday mornings in the office tend to be a little bit slower, so we end up discussing a wide variety of topics. One topic of discussion, which was addressed were thoughts surrounding the legalization of marijuana. The Liberals ran on a platform, which stated they would pursue this legalization. Although it hasn't been a priority in government, I do feel that it is something that would generate revenue for the government. Much like the Government of Saskatchewan has a liquor tax, the Government of Canada could impose one on marijuana sales. [continues 537 words]
He's done four rotations helping law enforcement agencies combat the international drug trade in the eastern Pacific Ocean. On Thursday, navy Lt.-Cmdr. Lucas Kenward was in Saskatoon to speak with local police and reservists about Canada's role in the fight. "One of the key messages that I bring to police services is that the mission that we're doing ... while it is displaced by some 5,000 miles from here, it does have a direct impact," he said. [continues 278 words]
Regulatory patchwork across Canada isn't helping anyone I have never smoked marijuana. Until last week, I had no idea where one could purchase it. Then someone told me they were going to get their "green card" from a doctor. This would allow them to purchase marijuana for medicinal purposes. No pressing medical reason, they just wanted to buy weed. As I asked around, I was told by many people who have them that the process is a joke. You go to a known doctor, give them an excuse for why you want it and they give it to you. Multiple people told me there was no examination or any probing into why they wanted it. They just got it. There are even websites that, for a fee, will tell you which doctors to see. [continues 577 words]
Evert Botha promises his "unwavering support" for the project, and plans to lobby to make it a reality Steps are in motion to bring a safe injection site to Prince Albert, as part of a comprehensive plan for treating infectious disease and drug addiction. Councillor Evert Botha plans to push council to lend its approval to the initiative, which he says will reduce crime, take needles off the street and help vulnerable people. "I will be asking my fellow councillors and the mayor that we support the establishment, as a city, of a supervised injection site," he said. [continues 947 words]
Back in the day, when an indigenous person committed a serious crime - usually a murder or a sexual assault - elders and band leaders would determine if the person was a threat to the community; if so, he or she would be banished. The safety and well-being of the band was paramount. This was a serious decision because it almost always meant death for the offender. Back then, people lived together for co-operation and protection from wild animals and enemy tribes. The huge herds of buffalo were preyed on by fearsome predators. Packs of buffalo wolves - larger than timber wolves - followed the herds. [continues 488 words]
Reporter's eerie experience in simulator suit I felt like Jimmy Hoffa with one leg encased in cement. I was lurching because of my super heavy left leg, which made it tough to walk and impossible to navigate in a straight line. My ears buzzed with random sounds. My double vision was blurry with flashing red, blue and green lights on the periphery. If I shut one eye I could kind of focus on what was straight ahead. But barely. When four tennis balls were lobbed my way, I was so uncoordinated and my reaction time so slow I couldn't catch one. My right arm chronically twitched and I could barely turn my neck or bend my elbows because of my restricted movement. [continues 412 words]
Wide discussion needed on subject, say those in addictions field Reginans are split on support of a safe injection site in the city, but it is unlikely such a service will be implemented anytime soon. According to a Mainstreet/Postmedia poll released today, 41 per cent of respondents disapprove of a safe injection site being opened or operated in Regina, 39 per cent say they approve, and 20 per cent aren't sure. The fentanyl-themed poll was conducted two weeks ago and surveyed 628 Regina residents with a margin of error of 3.91 per cent 19 times out of 20. [continues 663 words]
Poll reveals few in Saskatoon back plan lauded by advocates Jason Mercredi and other addictions workers who deal with the effects of unsupervised drug use say a safe injection site would bring many benefits to Saskatoon. A facility where users can inject drugs safely would not only reduce the risk of overdoses, but cut the province's "unprecedented" HIV rate and reduce the burden on the provincial health-care system, AIDS Saskatoon's interim executive director said. "The reality is we need to adopt best practice, and B.C. has shown that best practice is a safe consumption site," Mercredi said, referring to the two precedent-setting safe injection clinics in Vancouver. [continues 557 words]
Company's goal is to promote pot as alternative to pharmaceuticals The company behind the roadside billboards popping up in Saskatoon and Regina featuring a stylized marijuana leaf logo wants to normalize cannabis use. One such billboard, located at Idylwyld Drive North and 44th Street in Saskatoon, is meant to drive people to Erbachay's website, where owner of the Vancouver-based Erbachay Health Centre Darcy Delainey said they'll learn more about cannabis. "This is something we wanted to have a conversation with people (about) so they can start learning what cannabis is and not just what they've been told all these years," he said. [continues 284 words]
A poll released today by Mainstream and Postmedia makes it clear that Saskatchewan residents need to be educated on the dangers of drug use to our population. Residents of cities across the country were asked, "how closely have you been following the story of fentanyl, an opioid drug?" In Saskatoon, 35 per cent of those surveyed answered "very or somewhat." The number in Regina was slightly higher at 36 per cent. This is an alarmingly low rate of awareness. The number of overdose deaths from fentanyl and other similar drugs has risen dramatically in Saskatchewan and across Canada in recent years. The number of people who indicated they are following the story in other western cities is much higher; 78 per cent in Vancouver, 55 per cent in Calgary and 58 per cent in Edmonton. [continues 321 words]
City takes action to prepare for crisis that has claimed hundreds in B.C. We haven't seen the crisis that we've seen in Vancouver or in Winnipeg, but we're going to start to see it, I would suspect. Saskatoon firefighters started carrying the anti-overdose drug naloxone this week and other agencies are exploring the idea in response to what the fire department's assistant chief described as a fentanyl and opioid crisis sweeping across the country. The Saskatoon Fire Department is preparing for an expected increase in overdoses by equipping each of its 14 trucks with a $30 kit containing the opioid inhibitor, Rob Hogan told reporters Thursday. [continues 570 words]
Arguing a Saskatchewan judge fumbled when he used potential pot legalization to justify giving a break to a former university football player caught with 21 pounds of marijuana, the Crown wants jail. "The new (pending) legislation does not mean all things marijuana are now legal," federal prosecutor Wade McBride said Thursday before the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal. The lawyer representing Seamus John Neary not only defended his client's sentence of probation, but took a second kick at a charter of rights argument. He contends a law prohibiting a conditional sentence for such a crime is cruel and unusual punishment - especially given the current government's stance regarding pot. [continues 419 words]
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]
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]
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]
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]
Inside Saskatchewan
