Province gauges views in survey Saskatchewan residents believe the legal age of consumption for cannabis should be 19, according to the results of the provincial government's online survey. More than 45 per cent of the 25,974 responses to the question of legal age believe the province should make the legal age of marijuana consumption match the legal age of alcohol consumption in the province, while 27.5 per cent believe the legal age should be 18. Some 18.9 per cent of respondents believe the age should be set at 21 and 7.8 per cent believe the legal age should be over 21. [continues 374 words]
In 2016, the world drug prevention community met at UNGASS in New York to reconfirm their commitment and ratification of the long-standing drug conventions. I was in the General Assembly when the minister of health for the Government of Canada stood to announce Canada's plan to introduce legislation to legalize marijuana in the spring of 2017. I can report that the world was less than pleased. Canada's move to legalization will take our country offside of these global agreements and out of step with our international partners. [continues 158 words]
Saskatchewan Government looking to privatize marijuana Saskatchewan's government is not interested in operating pot shops. Instead, they want to concentrate on regulating the product. "We do not want to be in any ownership or marketing," said Don Morgan, Saskatchewan's Justice Minister. "We want to be responsible for ensuring that there's a regulatory scheme in place and we want to make sure it's a confidently, well-run regulatory scheme, but we don't want to own it, market it or warehouse it ourselves." [continues 555 words]
With 7 1/2 months until marijuana becomes legal in Canada, a group of Saskatchewan researchers hopes to help inform the complicated policy-making process the provincial government faces in the months to come. The Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy (JSGS), based at universities in Regina and Saskatoon, has released a report, Legalizing & Regulating Cannabis in Saskatchewan. The provincial government is responsible for setting up all of the details of a legal cannabis industry, and should have most of the work in place by June 30. [continues 379 words]
With 7 1/2 months until marijuana becomes legal in Canada, a group of Saskatchewan researchers hopes to help inform the complicated policy-making process the provincial government faces in the months to come. The Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy (JSGS), based at universities in Regina and Saskatoon, has released a report, Legalizing & Regulating Cannabis in Saskatchewan. The provincial government is responsible for setting up all of the details of a legal cannabis industry, and should have most of the work in place by June 30. [continues 607 words]
Marijuana trafficking charges against three people involved in a downtown Saskatoon medical marijuana dispensary that was raided by city police two years ago have been dropped. Instead, the dispensary - the Saskatchewan Compassion Club - pleaded guilty to marijuana trafficking in Saskatoon provincial court on Thursday and agreed to pay a $6,500 fine plus a $1,950 surcharge. "Obviously, I'm relieved and pleased to have the process come to an end and to have justice ultimately served in the proper manner," said Compassion Club owner Mark Hauk. [continues 634 words]
As a province, Saskatchewan is not known to be on the cutting edge as a national trendsetter. When it comes to the opioid crisis, we should be thrilled to be behind the curve. Recent stories about opioid deaths should prompt officials in Saskatchewan to ramp up activities to prevent an increase in deaths here. In Abbotsford, B.C., five people ages 40 to 67 died of overdoses in a nine-hour period on Friday. The two women and three men all died alone. [continues 357 words]
Urban governments in Saskatchewan are getting "anxious" about the provincial government's plans to deal with legalized marijuana, according to the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association (SUMA). The association on Tuesday called on the provincial government to start consulting about its plans for when the federal government follows through on its promise to legalize recreational cannabis in eight months. SUMA president Gordon Barnhart said the pending legalization of marijuana looms as one of the chief concerns expressed during seven regional meetings held last month. [continues 245 words]
Clinical coordinator at Vancouver's largest supervised injection site says P.A. should open similar facility Prince Albert should open a safe injection site before a bad situation gets worse, says a senior staff member from Canada's first legal facility for injecting drugs. Tim Gauthier, clinical coordinator at Vancouver's Insite, was the keynote speaker at the Prince Albert Parkland Health Region's HIV Education for Change event on Wednesday. He said he was shocked when he heard how many drug users in the Prince Albert area are contracting HIV through needles. The numbers convinced him that the city needs to expand its harm reduction programs. [continues 1807 words]
The Access and Privacy Branch of Saskatchewan's Ministry of Justice is examining concerns around the province's survey on recreational marijuana use after a University of Regina professor identified potential vulnerabilities within the online tool. Marc Spooner, a professor who specializes in qualitative and participatory action research, originally raised concerns about the fact anyone in Canada - and potentially around the globe - can take the survey. He argues the survey is "invalid" as a tool for consultation on public policy in Saskatchewan, as there's no way to determine who has been taking the survey, or if it's been compromised by a form of hacking called "freeping " where an online measure is hijacked by a certain group or those with a specific agenda. [continues 617 words]
Police asking for more time before marijuana legalized, Troy Cooper tells chamber Police Chief Troy Cooper has gone from doubtful to critical on Ottawa's marijuana plan, rejecting some key parts of the legislation and saying he's "nervous" about next summer's legalization deadline. Cooper has long seemed hesitant over marijuana legalization. Thursday, the day of his speech to the Chamber of Commerce, was perhaps his clearest expression of frustration over the pace of the federal plan - which foresees legal weed by July 2018. "We've asked, as a police service, please give us more time," he told the audience of local business leaders gathered at the Wildlife Federation building. [continues 614 words]
Canada is nine months away from legalizing marijuana as police agencies and provinces ask for more time on impaired driving and other enforcement issues. But in Justin Trudeau's world, taking time is not part of the equation. A read of the Liberal government's background documents on cannabis is instructive. Mantra-like, it repeats at every opportunity that Canadian youth - who have among the highest rates of marijuana use in the world - are going to be protected and prevented from smoking dope because legalization will result in stringent regulation, prohibition for kids and a steady diet of educational and awareness campaigns. [continues 618 words]
The Access and Privacy Branch of Saskatchewan's Ministry of Justice is examining concerns around the province's survey on recreational marijuana use after a University of Regina professor identified potential vulnerabilities within the online tool. Marc Spooner, a professor who specializes in qualitative and participatory action research, originally raised concerns about the fact anyone in Canada - and potentially around the globe - can take the survey. He argues the survey is "invalid" as a tool for consultation on public policy in Saskatchewan, as there's no way to determine who has been taking the survey, or if it's been compromised by a form of hacking called "freeping" where an online measure is hijacked by a certain group or viewpoint. [continues 600 words]
The mayor of Saskatchewan's largest municipality wants the provincial government to address vulnerabilities in its recreational marijuana survey after it was determined people across Canada, and potentially around the globe, can participate. The concern was initially raised by Marc Spooner, a University of Regina professor who ran for the NDP in the 2011 federal election, who called the survey "invalid" because there's no way to determine if the responses are from Saskatchewan residents. Spooner, who specializes in qualitative and participatory action research, said the data should not be used to form public policy because it's susceptible to a form of hacking known as "freeping," in which an online measurement effort is hijacked by a specific viewpoint or group. [continues 299 words]
The recent arrest of a man after a call for assistance for a drug overdose (Overdose leads to drug charges, Sept. 6) causes me great concern. As in heart attacks, in such cases survival is dependent on a quick response. Yet unlike other health emergencies, people hesitate to call at an overdose situation. They may fear arrest, loss of child custody, and judgment by others, among other things. The response in this case either a punitive attitude or ignorance on the part of the police. It may not only lead to more overdose deaths, but it will also serve as a deterrent to seeking other services which may identify people as drug users. [continues 117 words]
It will be a "huge challenge" to get Saskatchewan ready for the expected July 1 legalization of marijuana, Attorney General Don Morgan says. "We will have to introduce legislation at some point during the fall session so it can be voted (on) in the spring. So for us to get the information out of the survey, announce to the public 'this is what we're hearing' so that people know this is the consensus we're getting from the province, and then get legislation in and workable, is going to be a real challenge." [continues 378 words]
Re: Ashley Robinson's article (Kids will be able to possess weed under federal marijuanalegislation, Sept. 15): The Government of Canada's position is clear: youth should not have any amount of cannabis. As Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale said, under Bill C-45 there will be no legal means for a young person to obtain recreational cannabis. C-45 will also, for the first time, make it a criminal offence to sell cannabis to a minor and create significant penalties for those who engage youth in related offences. [continues 169 words]
Saskatchewan cabinet minister Don Morgan is the latest provincial politician to say he wants marijuana legalization delayed for at least a year. Why? Trudeau promised his government would legalize marijuana two years ago. Ontario has already announced its plans on how it will integrate legal marijuana into its economy. (Is Morgan insinuating Ontario is somehow superior to our province?) The only people who could possibly benefit from a delay in marijuana legalization are the organized crime figures who control most of the market. Why on earth are Saskatchewan politicians defending the interests of organized crime above that of ordinary, law-abiding citizens? Makes you wonder. Gordon Robert Dumont, Prince Albert [end]
Bill C-45 proposes to allow kids aged 12-18 to legally possess marijuana, but experts warn weed is 'very dangerous' for developing brains. As Canadians prepare for a new era of legalized recreational marijuana use next summer, concern is growing about a little-known provision wrapped into the bill that would allow kids as young as 12 to legally possess pot. The professed goal of the federal Liberals' Bill C-45 is to keep marijuana out of the hands of criminals and youth, and to stop criminal records for possession of small amounts of marijuana from following people through their lives. [continues 1042 words]
Bill C-45 proposes youths 12-18 can have up to five grams before facing charges As Canadians prepare for a new era of legalized recreational marijuana use next summer, concern is growing about a little-known provision wrapped into the bill that would allow kids as young as 12 to legally possess pot. The professed goal of the federal Liberals' Bill C-45 is to keep marijuana out of the hands of criminals and youth, and to stop criminal records for possession of small amounts of marijuana from following people through their lives. [continues 921 words]
Inside Saskatchewan
