(Re: New guideline recommends doctors avoid prescribing medical marijuana for most conditions, Feb. 15) The British have just issued the same guideline raising the question why there was not public education on the serious dangers to health before the Trudeau government fast-tracked legalizing marijuana. Besides causing serious damage to young developing brains, using pot can also lead to very aggressive behaviour is some people. The bottom line is very little is known about the long-term health effects of the 80 cannabinoids contained in marijuana. One thing we do know from the experiences in Colorado and Washington states, after legalization, is there will likely be more impaired drivers on our highways leading to more road deaths and young people will gain access to the drug with dire consequences. [continues 131 words]
Re: "Action urged on illicit cigarettes," Feb. 5. Governments at all levels have spent tens of billions trying to dissuade young people from smoking cigarettes and treating people's serious illnesses, especially cancers, from this addictive habit. These ads are actually starting to decrease the number of new smokers. Over this time, organized crime has been heavily involved, distributing illicit smokes, with zero checks on quality or the nature of ingredients. Enter Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his wrong-headed move to legalize marijuana, just as addictive, and with the same or greater impact on health, because he feels "this is the best way to keep it away from those at serious risk, young Canadians by curbing black market sales." [continues 136 words]
Having enforced Canada's drug laws for a couple decades and seen the horrible destruction to families narcotic drug usage causes, I cannot think of a more dangerous move and harm to Canadian society than legalizing all drugs. It likely will take a decade to determine the many unintended consequences of Trudeau's legalizing pot, including more deaths on our highways, more workplace accidents, kids suffering mental issues from getting into their parents' pot supply, more addicts, problems to cities from pot tourism and the huge negative impact to our ailing healthcare system. The Liberals wanting to legalize even more addictive and health damaging drugs is scary. [continues 135 words]
Re: "Amnesty for marijuana busts discussed at Liberal retreat," Jan. 12. It seems that when it comes to getting pot users votes, the Trudeau government will do anything. That is why we are about to legalize pot, with the many unintended harmful consequences that will mean for our children and the degradation of our cities from pot tourism. No government should contemplate retroactively erasing records that resulted from laws that were legally passed by Parliament. Doing this would mean opening a Pandora's box, whereby others who also committed crimes they believe did not warrant criminal convictions will want their records erased. A dangerous precedent would be set by such a politically motivated move. [continues 146 words]
(Re: High drivers concern cops, Jan. 18 edition) When Canadian Chiefs of Police said they are simply not ready to enforce new rules, once pot is legalized next summer, one major concern was the anticipated increase in pot-impaired drivers on Canadian highways and lack of a simple roadside test for actual impairment. The alternative would be for the police having to take suspected pot-impaired drivers to a hospital to have blood extracted. I can just imagine the court challenges that would result in. A simple roadside test should be made available before pot is legalized. [continues 145 words]
Re: NDP lobbying for safe injection site. What is it with all progressives pushing so called "safe injection sites" which is an oxymoron, as such places are anything but safe. Addicts may be getting clean needles, but they are still injecting street drugs of unknown quality. These drugs addicts commit serious crimes, placing the public at risk. Surely rather than facilitating drug addicts to feed their addiction, weaning them off their addiction, through rehabilitation, is a much better option. Addicts put huge strains on our ailing health-care services and most end up having a shortened life span caused by drug damage to their vital organs. Safe injection sites do not eradicate those problems! Larry Comeau (The theory is they might save a person's life be preventing overdose deaths and by mitigating other risks.) [end]
Having done drug enforcement over two decades, anyone who believes Justin Trudeau when he says "legalization is the best way to keep this dangerous drug away from our kids" is living in fantasy land. There will still be a flourishing black market, as there is in Colorado and Washington states. By allowing anyone over 19 to grow their own pot supplies, children in such residences will have easy access, plus be exposed to dangerous contaminants emitted from the pot plants. In Colorado, young kids are flooding ERs after getting into their parents' pot supplies, especially edibles containing high concentrations of THC. We can expect the same here. Sunny Days are not ahead for Canadian kids! Larry Comeau Ottawa, Ont. (If government taxes are too high on pot they'll create the same black market they did for cigarettes by pushing tobacco taxes too high) [end]
Having done drug enforcement over two decades, anyone who believes Justin Trudeau when he says "legalization is the best way to keep this dangerous drug away from our kids" is living in fantasy land. There will still be a flourishing black market, as there is in Colorado and Washington states. By allowing anyone over 19 to grow their own pot supplies, children in such residences will have easy access, plus be exposed to dangerous contaminants emitted from the pot plants. In Colorado, young kids are flooding ERs after getting into their parents' pot supplies, especially edibles containing high concentrations of THC. We can expect the same here. Sunny Days are not ahead for Canadian kids! Larry Comeau Ottawa, Ont. [end]
Re: "Sleeping driver found with drugs," Dec. 28. This may well be an indication of what we can expect when marijuana becomes legal next summer, and it should trouble everyone, especially the police. Since pot was legalized in Colorado and Washington states, the number of road deaths have doubled. In Canada, there still is no simple roadside test for impairment by marijuana consumption, as Trudeau placed the cart before the horse by legalizing pot so quickly. Unlike alcohol, which is excreted from the system in about 12 hours, the THC in marijuana that causes someone to get stoned remains in the system for many, many days. This means someone may ended up driving impaired without having smoked marijuana recently, or having smoked a small amount. No wonder the chiefs of police have said they simply are not ready for marijuana legalization. Larry Comeau Ottawa [end]
Re Majority Of Canadians Are Against Legalizing Pot By July 1, Poll Finds (Jan. 3): Since Prime Minister Justin Trudeau first floated his plan to legalize marijuana, the narrative has always been that by cutting out the black market, this would protect children who are at serious risk. Having been a police officer for close to 40 years, this is a leap into fantasy land. Black market pot sales have continued in the states of Colorado and Washington after marijuanalegalization, and they will do so here. [continues 82 words]
Police in Kingston found a driver sleeping with drugs. This may well be an indication of what we can expect when marijuana becomes legal next summer and should trouble everyone, especially the police. Since pot was legalized in Colorado and Washington states the number of road deaths have doubled. In Canada there still is no simple roadside test for impairment by marijuana consumption, as Trudeau placed the cart before the horse by legalizing pot so quickly. Unlike alcohol, which is excreted from the system in about 12 hours, THC in marijuana that causes someone to get stoned remains in the system for many, many days. This means someone may end up driving impaired without having smoked marijuana recently, or having smoked a small amount. No wonder the Chiefs of Police have said they simply are not ready for marijuana legalization! Larry Comeau Ottawa [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: 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]
Marijuana advent calendars creating a buzz. With advent (coming from Latin) being one of the most important events in Christianity, as it is revisiting the time leading up to the birth of Jesus Christ, I cannot think of anything more egregious than selling marijuana advent calendars. Maybe pot has already damaged the people's brains who came up with such an outrageous plan. I am sure if they so offended Islam, there would be rioting. I can well imagine when pot is legalized next July, we will see even more of this type of pure lunacy. I hope the orchestrators of this will immediately withdraw these offending calendars. Larry Comeau (Is it really that much different from alcohol advent calendars, which have been around for a while?) [end]
Re: "Booze, drugs 'profound' woes, Suncor says," Nov. 28. There has been little concern expressed during its committee study by the Trudeau government, in its rush to legalize marijuana, about the real possibility of an increase in accidents in the workplace, once it becomes legal. Unlike alcohol, which is excreted from one's body in about 12 hours, THC remains in the system for many, many days. This means workers can show up on the job still partially stoned. There is also the real likelihood more workers will be using marijuana on the job, thereby placing themselves and co-workers at an increased risk of injury or death. [continues 53 words]
Re: "Police not ready to test drivers for pot: unions" (Montreal Gazette, Nov. 18) Having enforced Canada's drug laws for over three decades, I can sympathize with police across Canada. At least Quebec's legislation, unlike the federal plan, bans the growing of marijuana at home. It's been reported that road deaths in Colorado and Washington doubled after recreational pot was legalized in those states. That and the fact there is no easy roadside test for THC levels should raise alarm bells here. [continues 58 words]
( Re: Feds set tax on pot at $ 1 per gram plus GST, Nov. 10 edition) When Justin Trudeau first floated his marijuana legalization plan, to get votes and new tax revenue, he claimed it was the best way to curb black market sales, thereby keeping it away from children, who can cause serious harm to their developing brains. Now, by coming up with this substantial tax, Trudeau is throwing out an open invitation to organized crime groups to grow and sell illicit pot. To further compound the problem, Trudeau wants to allow anyone to grown four marijuana plants, a huge gift to organized crime. [continues 72 words]
When Justin Trudeau first floated his plan to legalize marijuana he said that this was the best way to keep this dangerous drug away from our children by curbing black market sales. As we have seen with the sale of cigarettes, after tens of millions spent fighting against organized crime's involvement selling illicit smokes, the battle is far from won. Organized crime is involved in growing and selling pot in Colorado and Washington states and will do the same here. This has been made easier for criminal groups, as anyone is entitled to grow four plants; virtually impossible to police. [continues 115 words]
