Drug dealers make their money on how much they mark up their product. The street value of what they're peddling is significantly higher than what they pay their suppliers for the illicit drugs. But we expect they're all drooling at the profits the federal government reaps when it sells dope - medicinal marijuana. Street dealers wouldn't be in business if they sold marijuana for 15 times more than what they paid for it. But the federal government does just that, and gets away with it, as it operates in a monopoly. [continues 319 words]
Last week, even before the Senlis Council released its latest survey on the situation in southern Afghanistan, the Canadian defence establishment was already circling the wagons. A flurry of e-mails was dispatched to the mailing list of the Conference of Defence Associations (CDA), alerting its members to the fact that previous Senlis Council findings "have been less than positive about this mission." Presumably, in the eyes of the CDA, the publishing of negative assessments automatically damages the credibility of the independent Senlis Council. [continues 615 words]
More Needles Being Turned In An increase in the use of the Chatham-Kent Public Health Unit's needle exchange program doesn't necessarily translate into more local drug users, says Dr. David Colby. The municipality's acting medical officer of health credits the program's ambassador whom he calls an "unsung hero" for public health. "That ambassador we have for the needle exchange program has a great deal of trust and credibility in the at-risk sector of our community," Colby said. [continues 334 words]
CUERNAVACA, Mexico - Despite the 84 degrees F., despite the delights of the swimming pool, there is trouble in paradise. It's hard to complain from this pleasant town of some one million, at 5,000 feet high between Mexico City (world's largest city at 26 million) and the lush resort of Acapulco on the Pacific shore, once the retreat of all the Hollywood stars. It's where Hernando Cortes, the Spanish explorer, selected for his palace. That's after his fleet of 11 ships crossed the Atlantic, following one Christopher Columbus who as we know discovered the Caribbean islands in 1492. [continues 655 words]
In the construction industry, managers want competent and sober people doing the job - for both quality of work and safety's sake. One site manager believed two of his workers in Toronto were smoking marijuana on their lunch breaks, so he videotaped them in their pickup truck, accused them of smoking up and fired them. The case is before the Ontario Labour Relations Board. But what is no longer before the board is the video tape. The labour board says the video is inadmissible as evidence. It violated the two alleged dopers' right to privacy. [continues 303 words]
SIR: Gwynne Dyer's Jan. 9 column was right on target. There is a middle ground between drug prohibition and blanket legalization. Switzerland's heroin maintenance program has been shown to reduce disease, death and crime among chronic users. Providing addicts with standardized doses in a clinical setting eliminates many of the problems associated with heroin use. Heroin maintenance pilot projects are underway in Canada, England, Germany, Spain and the Netherlands. If expanded, prescription heroin maintenance would deprive organized crime of a core client base. This would render illegal heroin trafficking unprofitable and spare future generations addiction. [continues 125 words]
They Had No Idea Of What Damage Can Be Done RIDGETOWN - Natasha Tobias knows that drugs are bad. But before Wednesday she didn't really know why. The Ridgetown District High School Grade 9 student said a presentation by a local public health nurse and OPP officer shed light on the reason behind the "Just Say No" message. "They tell you not to do it but they never really tell you why," she said. "I knew about the drugs, I didn't know any of the things that can happen." [continues 339 words]
Program Aimed At Reducing Risks Involved In Intravenous Drug Use Local intravenous drug users exchange nearly 100,000 syringes a year through Needle Exchange Chatham-Kent. The program, run by Chatham-Kent Public Health, is aimed at reducing the harm associated with using intravenous drugs such as heroine, methampetamine and cocaine. Public health nurse Debbie Maine said the program helps prevent the spread of HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C and other blood-borne infections. "If clean needles are available, they'll use them," she said. [continues 564 words]
Students Shocked at Seeing Devastating Physical Effects Of Meth A group of local students stared at the face of drugs during a presentation Monday. They didn't like what they saw. "It makes me sick. I'm seriously sick to my stomach," said Grade 10 Chatham-Kent Secondary School student Ashley Brink. "The pictures of how pretty they were and how ugly they became - I almost barfed." The students watched a presentation called The Faces of Meth, delivered by OPP Const. Aaron McPhail. Chatham Coun. Marjorie Crew, of East Side Pride, also spoke during the class. She told the students about the impacts of drugs on the community. [continues 393 words]
Barry Cooper's new DVD, Never Get Busted Again, which went on sale over the Internet late last month, will probably not sell very well outside the United States, because in most other countries the possession of marijuana for personal use is treated as a misdemeanour or simply ignored by the police. But it will sell very well in the U.S., where many thousands of casual marijuana users are hit with savage jail terms every year in a nationwide game of Russian roulette in which most people indulge their habit unharmed while a few unfortunates have their lives ruined. [continues 821 words]
WHISTLER, B.C. - The date is Feb. 12, 2010, where for 16 days this little town two hours north of Vancouver will be the centre of world television and don't you think we're proud - and a little nervous. The Winter Olympics poobahs knew what they were doing. The two biggest ski mountains in North America right outside your ski-in, ski-out condo, a mile of vertical drop for skiers, 8,200 acres, 200 named runs, breathtaking views and, as one ski writer put it, "more bowls than Conrad Black's china service." [continues 700 words]
Officer Says Planting Part Of Organized Crime RIDGETOWN - Rural landowners have an obligation to make certain their property isn't being used for criminal purposes. "Farmers and others who lease land in rural areas should carefully check out the background of those leasing the property," OPP Det. Sgt. Brett Mailloux said Friday. The unit commander of the OPP's drug enforcement section in Windsor said "we want our agricultural partners to make themselves more aware of the potential problems that can arise so they can safeguard themselves." [continues 330 words]
SIR: Re: "Business busted; Police seize $23,000 worth of drug paraphernalia," Dec. 5 Chatham Daily News. As a federal medical marijuana license holder who is also married to one, I was surprised by your Dec. 5 story. First of all, marijuana smoking devices are sold in stores all over Canada, and on line. Sure, it might be officially illegal, but then so what? Since marijuana is legal for medical purposes, and medical users like myself need to get pipes and papers somewhere, busting this store might violate the Charter Rights of any medical users who may have patronized it. [continues 74 words]
Police Seize $23,000 Worth Of Drug Paraphernalia Chatham-Kent police has scored its largest ever seizure of drug paraphernalia. During a raid at a St. Clair Street convenience store last week, officers seized more than 2,000 items including pipes, water bongs, scales and grinders. "They are not just decorative items kept around the household," said Const. Gary Oriet during a press conference Monday. On display at Chatham-Kent police headquarters were some of the items seized, including colourful pipes, large blown glass bongs and grinders adorned with marijuana leaves. Items ranged in price from $5 to $200, Oriet said. He noted the confiscated items are worth $23,000. [continues 344 words]
SIR: As far as growing cannabis is concerned, The Chatham Daily News could add balance by reporting how protecting kids means ending the failed prohibition in North America (Chatham Daily News editorial, "Knowledge powerful weapon," Nov. 18). Additional laws cannot stop cannabis; too many citizens enjoy cannabis and it will be grown to fulfill the laws of supply and demand, guaranteed. While alcohol prohibition didn't even pretend to stop alcohol usage, increased crime was rampant. The only way to end crime connected with cannabis prohibition is to legalize and regulate cannabis cultivation like society regulates wineries, breweries, distilleries and tomatoes. For 10 years after the repeal of alcohol prohibition, murder rates decreased. Repealing the sequel will have similar results. Stan White Dillon, Colo. [end]
Kudos to members of East Side Pride for continuing their efforts as citizens for fighting drug use and production. The latest effort from the group is a drug awareness campaign called C.R.A.C.K. - Citizens Raising Awareness in Chatham-Kent. Too often kids hear little more than "Don't do drugs," little better than Mr. Mackay's useless guidance on the cartoon South Park: "Drugs are bad, M'kay?" East Side Pride's campaign goes so much further than that. It has a variety of pamphlets on both usage and drug creation, be it cooking or growing. [continues 212 words]
ESP Launches Program To Fight Substance Abuse The latest effort to combat the "alarming'' rate of substance use and abuse in Chatham-Kent was launched Thursday. In the war on drugs, East Side Pride has developed a drug awareness campaign dubbed C.R.A.C.K. - Citizens Raising Awareness in Chatham-Kent. "The purpose of this campaign is to educate the community about the dangers and risks of drug use and its prevalence in our community,'' Marjorie Crew of East Side Pride and a newly-elected Chatham councillor, told a media conference. [continues 729 words]
Only on Canada's Left Coast would you see this: A Vancouver councillor wants the city to set up a non-profit brothel run by city hall. And, Tim Louis claims such a brothel will help get drug-addicted hookers off the streets. Pardon? This is the same city that has a haven for needle jockey drug addicts, where intravenous drug users can come in and shoot up without fear of arrest. Crack addicts in the city are still lobbying to have an inhalation room at the facility. [continues 186 words]
If government officials seriously consider any proposal to allow only prescription sales of cold and allergy medicines, those elected officials should contact their family doctors (if they have one) for brain scans. Perth County medical officer Dr. Rosana Pellizzari has come out in favour of forcing physicians to write prescriptions for such medicines because the drugs contain the drug pusedoephedrine -- essential for the production of crystal methamphetaminemes. Dr. Pellizzari's plan may have a laudable purpose but the massive strain it will create on the health-care system and the inconvenience for millions of Canadians far outweighs the benefits in the battle against drugs. [continues 319 words]
Government Trying To Fight Crystal Meth The provincial government should look at putting cold medications behind the pharmacists' counter, instead of requiring Ontarians to access this medication by prescription. "Before the government makes a decision, they should go to the Ontario Pharmacy Association and suggest putting them behind the counter," Mike Jawad, owner of the independently-run City Pharmacy said of media reports the health minister was considering prescriptions for cold medications as a way to combat the spread of crystal meth, a deadly street drug. [continues 501 words]
