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]
Homicides, shooting linked to groups bringing drugs, guns into Regina Police believe at least two Regina homicides and a shooting in a crowded restaurant are among the fallout from an increasingly violent threat posed by outsiders bringing guns and drugs into the city. The Mounties and Regina Police Service joined forces to roll out the unwelcome mat for the unwanted guests, recently concluding a 90-day project targeting drug trafficking as well as the weapons and shootings that accompany the trade. What it revealed is that many of the 60 people arrested on 443 charges, including trafficking, possession of stolen property, and multiple weapons offences, aren't from here. They dropped in from locales such as Edmonton, Fort Saskatchewan, Fort McMurray and Toronto. [continues 526 words]
Labelling legalized marijuana products with their levels of two main active ingredients is one of the helpful recommendations released this week by a federal task force on cannabis legalization and regulation, says Saskatoon addictions expert Dr. Peter Butt. "There's no truth in labelling now because there's no testing," Butt said. He is concerned that there is no way to ensure cannabis sold for medicinal use contains any of a substance shown to produce the medical benefits marijuana is promoted to address. [continues 306 words]
Three people involved with a downtown Saskatoon medical marijuana dispensary before it was raided in 2015 have been committed to stand trial on trafficking-related charges. The preliminary hearing for Mark Phillip Hauk, Lane Anthony Britnell and Jaime Michelle Hagel wrapped up in Saskatoon provincial court on Thursday. Hauk owned the Saskatchewan Compassion Club, Britnell was an employee, and Hagel was a volunteer. Each faces four charges: one count of possession for the purpose of trafficking marijuana, two counts of trafficking marijuana and one count of possessing proceeds of crime over $5,000. [continues 230 words]
She should have been on medical watch. The death of a young woman at a Regina remand unit has led to more supervision and medical staff at the facility. Breanna Kannick, 21, was being held at the White Birch Remand Centre in August 2015 when she died after going into what the Ministry of Justice at the time called "medical distress." An investigation into that death, according to government officials, has resulted in about $400,000 in added funding to increase nursing staff and pay for a doctor to be on site. [continues 498 words]
Illegal medical marijuana dispensaries are not just for big cities anymore. Earlier this month, RCMP made good on a September 2015 Health Canada warning threatening to shut down Martin Medical Services in Whitewood. In a raid on the business and home of owner Jerry Martin November 8, police seized undisclosed quantities of marijuana, hash oil and cash along with cellphones, computers and three vehicles. He is charged with trafficking marijuana, possession of marijuana, trafficking cannabis resin, possession of cannabis resin, possession of proceeds of crime, trafficking proceeds of crime and laundering proceeds of crime. [continues 499 words]
Canada is experiencing a serious opioid epidemic. While it has only recently made headlines, there has been a growing trend toward misuse and illegal use of opioid prescriptions in the past few years, one that nurses across Canada have seen firsthand. Whether or not people obtain these drugs by prescription, the difficulty of withdrawal is having a serious impact on our publicly funded health system. The Canadian Nurses Association is therefore pleased with Health Minister Jane Philpott's call for a national strategy to face this crisis. [continues 207 words]
Police chief blames drug gangs for near doubling of cases A dramatic spike in home invasions in Saskatoon is contributing to the city's nation-leading crime rate, according to Saskatoon's Police Chief Clive Weighill. Home invasions where people are home when burglars break in have nearly doubled since 2009. Police say there were 154 home invasion cases in 2009. In 2014 that number spiked to 301 before dipping down to 276 in 2015. "Since 2009 it's almost doubled. I know that is a scary term when we are talking about home invasions," Weighill said at a police board meeting last Thursday. [continues 659 words]
Whether it's LSD or magic mushrooms, psychedelic drugs have long been a point of contention. An upcoming event hopes to educate Saskatoon residents on their medical uses and their potentially research-rich future. Organized by Erika Dyck, a University of Saskatchewan history professor and the Canada Research Chair in the History of Medicine, the event is called An Evening of Psychedelics and takes place at the Underground Cafe on Nov. 23. "Over the last few years there's been some real interest in what people are starting to call a psychedelic renaissance, where we're looking at psychedelics for their therapeutic potential today," she said. [continues 366 words]
The mayor of Whitewood has raised concerns about practices at a marijuana dispensary that had long operated in the town, and called on the federal government to remove the grey areas that exist around the sale of the drug for medical purposes. Martin Medical Services, owned by Jerry Martin, 45, was raided last Tuesday, with Broadview RCMP seizing a quantity of marijuana as well as cash, cellphones, computers and three vehicles. Martin's home was raided, as well. Martin is facing criminal charges for operation of an unlawful marijuana dispensary, including trafficking and possession of marijuana and cannabis resin, possession of the proceeds of crime, trafficking in the proceeds of crime and laundering the proceeds of crime. [continues 601 words]
Police are seeing more fentanyl and crystal meth cases in the city and some locals have overdosed on fentanyl, they say. "Prior to, you know, within the last year, 2016, fentanyl really didn't exist here," said Moose Jaw Police Deputy Chief Cliff Froehlich. Moose Jaw is now facing the national problem of increased opiate addiction. On Wednesday, Moose Jaw Police Deputy Chief Cliff Froehlich spoke at the Moose Jaw South Central Drug Strategy luncheon. Two of the most problematic drugs for local police are crystal meth and fentanyl. [continues 833 words]
There was a strong police presence in Whitewood last Thursday when RCMP raided the Lalonde St. home of 45-year-old Whitewood resident Jerry Martin as well as at his business location on 3rd Ave. Police officers and vehicles were very visible at both locations throughout the day. According to RCMP, "At approximately 10:20 a.m. on Nov. 8, 2016, Broadview RCMP executed a warrant at both a business and a residence at Whitewood, SK." As officers stood guard at the Martin Medical Services building downtown, several officers entered Martin's residence and began a search of the main street home, and later at the business location. RCMP seized marijuana, hash oil, cell phones and computers, an undisclosed amount of cash, and three vehicles. [continues 439 words]
A marijuana dispensary owner has been charged with a range of offences after Broadview RCMP conducted two raids in Whitewood on Tuesday morning. An RCMP brief said that marijuana and property, including cellphones, computers, cash and three vehicles, were all seized during raids on a business - not named by RCMP but known to be Martin Medical Services on the 600 block of 3rd Ave. in Whitewood - and a private residence. Jerry Matthew Martin, 45, is charged with offences relating to the "operation of an unlawful marijuana dispensary," RCMP said. [continues 249 words]
A new program has started up to help tackle the city's discarded needle problem. In the realm of tongue-twisting health acronyms, CHANGE is one of the worst offenders. It stands for Community, Harm Reduction, Needle Pickup, Guidance and Education, and it's the Prince Albert Parkland Health Region's newest strategy to reduce discarded needles in the community. Formed late this September, the CHANGE team goes to "hotspots" for IV drug use, places where large numbers of discarded syringes tend to litter public places. [continues 548 words]
In part four of our look at the major issues of the campaign, we asked the mayoral candidates about a new Victoria Hospital and the city's role in the battle against HIV Healthcare is not a municipal responsibility. But, as Mayor Dionne puts it, the mayor can be a "voice for the residents of Prince Albert," calling on the province to provide the healthcare our city deserves. Whoever becomes mayor will need to raise that voice. Prince Albert has just lost its only publicly funded audiologist, and the lack of other specialists is forcing residents to travel to Saskatoon. [continues 1298 words]
A popular area of Northern Saskatchewan's lake country has the dubious distinction of leading Canada in one marijuana statistic. A Postmedia study of Statistics Canada numbers from more than 1,000 cities, towns and RCMP jurisdictions revealed that the Waskesiu Lake region - which includes the resort town of Waskesiu, Prince Albert National Park, Montreal Lake Cree Nation and other small communities - had the highest per capita rate of marijuana possession charges in the country in 2015. Randy Kershaw, a member of the Waskesiu town council, said the town itself did not see any visible increase in marijuana use during 2015, stressing that the statistics cover a wide area. [continues 494 words]
Vintage Vinyl and Hemp Emporium is known for a lot of things, notably its history with marijuana. Dylan and Janelle Baumet's father Pat opened Vintage Vinyl and Hemp Emporium 25 years ago in downtown Regina. The store has remained a family business over the years and sells everything from records to marijuana smoking accessories. The store has continued to sell accessories for smoking marijuana and has seen society's thoughts toward marijuana change. "Every year there's just more and more smokers and people are starting to realize that marijuana's good and not bad," Dylan said. [continues 437 words]
A Saskatchewan First Nation seeking to keep its territory free of drug dealers and pedophiles is moving to pass a law allowing it to banish "undesirable people." Chief Austin Bear of Muskoday First Nation said in an interview this week that the band council will conduct a referendum before the end of October asking members to approve a banishment law that he said will be the first of its kind in Canada. Muskoday and other Canadian First Nations have in the past used band council resolutions to evict people from their communities, but Bear said such resolutions would not withstand a court challenge. Muskoday's law will fall under a partial self-government regime called the First Nations Land Management Act, which gives signatory bands the power to manage their own lands. [continues 459 words]
How history repeats itself! Today, politicians are once again ignoring the pain of terminal cancer patients. At the same time they are shooting themselves in the foot by making illogical remarks about pain. This human folly takes me back 37 years. In January 1979, I wrote a New Year's resolution in this column to petition the government to legalize medical heroin to ease the agony of terminal cancer patients. I knew that heroin had been used in English hospitals for 90 years, so why not have this painkiller available in North America? But rather than being applauded for my compassion, all hell broke loose. [continues 462 words]
Kelly Csada opened a medical marijuana dispensary in Regina on Monday to help people like herself. Since 1990, Csada has suffered from Crohn's disease. Over the years, she has had 18 feet of her small intestine removed, five bowel resections and been prescribed numerous potent medications, including fentanyl, OxyContin and morphine. In researching alternatives to narcotics, she learned about Phoenix tears oil - a concentrated form of the cannabis plant. "I couldn't find it and I had people offer to make it for me, but I said, 'No. I put so much medication into my body.' I wanted to make sure that what I was getting was clean and pure.' " [continues 587 words]
Re: Four findings (SP Aug. 8): Instead of printing American pot propaganda, how about the Saskatoon Star-Phoenix provide Canadians with the scientific truths about the use of pot and the consequences on reproductive health. Risks demonstrated in the scientific literature pertaining to marijuana product use include generational genetic and chromosomal damage. Marijuana use can disrupt fetal growth and the development of organs and limbs and may result in mutagenic alterations in DNA. Cannabis has also been associated with fetal abnormalities in many studies including low birth weight, fetal growth restriction, preterm birth spontaneous miscarriage, spina bifida and others. Men who use marijuana are at risk for testicular cancer, sterility and erectile dysfunction if they smoke marijuana products. Pamela McColl, Vancouver McColl writes on behalf of the Marijuana Victims' Association [end]
Crystal meth use in Prince Albert is "out of control" and the situation could worsen in the next year, says a police officer who heads the city's crystal meth intervention program. "We're so far behind it, we just need to get some kind of a grip on it," said Prince Albert Police Sgt. Troy Dumont. "I go through the calls every day and I see more of it, more just basic calls when meth is kind of involved .... People are acting different, you can just tell. It is on the rise and we need to do something about it." [continues 702 words]
Saskatoon's police chief says police forces across the country are charging fewer and fewer people with marijuana possession as legalization of recreational use looms. "Police right across Canada, I think, started to back off on the charges for minor possession," Chief Clive Weighill said earlier this week. After a spike in possession charges in 2013, Saskatoon has seen a steady decline in the number of people charged with possession: the number dropped by 27 per cent between 2013 and 2014, then by 10 per cent from 2014 to 2015, according to Statistics Canada data. This year, however, pot possession charges have remained nearly the same as last year. As of this week, slightly more than 190 people have been charged so far in 2016, according to data from city police. [continues 240 words]
Addictive Drug Partially to Blame for Increase, Says Police Chief An influx of crystal meth in Saskatoon is helping fuel the city's crime problem, according to police chief Clive Weighill. "It's driving a lot of our property crime, our break and enters our thefts," he said. Saskatoon again has the worst crime rate in the country and Weighill said the deadly and highly addictive drug is partially to blame. Last year, Saskatoon police laid 108 charges for crystal meth possession - double the 54 laid in 2014 and the 22 laid in 2013. [continues 458 words]
My nieces and nephews are getting to the age where kids experiment with drugs and it's scary. How do you discourage them when movies and TV make it all look so interesting and fun? Damn you to hell, Seth Rogen! I am especially at a loss because I've never understood drugs in the first place. I was not a drug user for a few reasons, the first being absolute fear. My mom did a great job of cobbling together every terrible drug story she'd ever heard and regaling us with them as we ate our beans and wieners at the dinner table: "This boy, he did 'The Pot' one time and he got real high and then he put the cat in the oven cuz he thought it was a turkey." Such stories made me fearful both of drugs and of wieners. [continues 677 words]
My nieces and nephews are getting to the age where kids experiment with drugs and it's scary. How do you discourage them when movies and TV make it all look so interesting and fun? Damn you to hell, Seth Rogen! I am especially at a loss because I've never understood drugs in the first place. I was not a drug user for a few reasons - the first of which was absolute fear. My mom did a great job of cobbling together every terrible drug story she'd ever heard and regaling us with them as we ate our beans and wieners at the dinner table: "This boy, he did 'The Pot' one time and he got real high and then he put the cat in the oven cuz he thought it was a turkey." Such stories made me fearful both of drugs and of wieners. [continues 687 words]
Group to consult with provincial, municipal leaders about regulations A Saskatchewan law professor will be one of the people deciding how pot will become legalized in Canada. The federal government is launching a task force to study the legalization and regulation of marijuana, after committing to introduce legislation on the legalization of pot in the spring of 2017. University of Saskatchewan law professor Barbara von Tigerstrom is among the people the government has tapped to help guide that process. "It's a daunting challenge but a really important one," von Tigerstrom said after the task force was unveiled. [continues 294 words]
No jail time for former Huskie Neary after 21 pounds of marijuana seized Former University of Saskatchewan football linebacker Seamus John Neary gave an audible sigh of relief when Queen's Bench Justice Shawn Smith sentenced him to two years of probation, but no jail time. Neary, 25, was convicted in November of trafficking marijuana and possessing the proceeds of crime, after 21 pounds of marijuana and $1,000 in cash were seized during an investigation in February 2014. Smith noted the Court of Appeal has ruled sentences of 15 to 18 months in jail are appropriate for marijuana trafficking involving amounts similar to Neary's case, but said the fact Canada is in a transition period with the federal government promising to legalize marijuana was a factor in his ruling. [continues 351 words]
Trauma is at the nature of addiction, according to Dr. Gabor Mate. "Addiction is only a symptom, it's not the fundamental problem. The fundamental problem is trauma," said Mate. Mate was in Regina on Wednesday to speak at the sixth International Training Symposium on Innovative Approaches to Justice: Where Justice and Treatment Meet. The conference started Tuesday and runs until Friday at the Hotel Saskatchewan. Judges, lawyers, counsellors and professionals who work in treatment courts from across the country are in attendance, along with a handful of people from the United States. The conference is held every two years, with the last one being held in Vancouver. [continues 344 words]
How could this medical and social disaster ever be allowed to happen? If authorities had told me that Ontario, just one Canadian province, was treating 400 addicts in methadone clinics, I'd believe them. But, the actual number is 42,000. But how many of these addicts need methadone? And what is the solution for this madness? Dr. Theodore Dalrymple, is not an arm-chair commentator on addiction. Rather, he's an internationally renowned expert, a British psychiatrist, and prison doctor who has treated thousands of addicts over years. [continues 611 words]
Marijuana, by most measures, is not the scourge that alcohol is, writes National Post recently scandalized its famously conservative readers with a headline claiming that "about half of Canadians who drive while high insist pot doesn't impair them." The article - When is stoned too stoned? - further sensationalized the "crisis" by noting: "nothing would make (20 per cent of those surveyed) stop driving while stoned." With the Trudeau government poised to legalize marijuana, it was enough to send neo-cons into paroxysms of paranoia, fearing our roads would be turned into killing fields by the demon weed. [continues 996 words]
Marijuana, by most measures, is not the scourge that alcohol is, writes David Booth. The National Post recently scandalized its famously conservative readers with a headline claiming that "about half of Canadians who drive while high insist pot doesn't impair them." The article - When is stoned too stoned? - further sensationalized the "crisis" by noting: "nothing would make (20 per cent of those surveyed) stop driving while stoned." With the Trudeau government poised to legalize marijuana, it was enough to send neo-cons into paroxysms of paranoia, fearing our roads would be turned into killing fields by the demon weed. [continues 997 words]
Inside Saskatchewan
