Home growing expected to be addressed in House of Assembly this spring Federal legislation, provincial legislation, contracts and regulation - - there's plenty still in the works when it comes to having legal, recreational marijuana in Newfoundland and Labrador. In the coming weeks, more will be said on growing your own cannabis and on Canopy Growth's in-province production facility. More is also expected to be brought to the House of Assembly on marijuana in the workplace, and occupational, health and safety implications of legalization. [continues 596 words]
Unsettling incidents involving young people who insist on driving while drunk have grabbed the spotlight in recent days and months across Atlantic Canada. It doesn't augur well for potential law enforcement issues later this year. In Halifax, a 23-year-old New Brunswick man is facing charges after a pedestrian was struck and killed in the downtown last weekend. A 63-year-old well-known and much-liked street person was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver is charged with impaired driving causing death. [continues 427 words]
I've been publicly advocating legalization of marijuana as long as I have been an op-ed writer, approximately 16 years. Since that battle is won, I will not rehash all the reasons. Now that it is upon us, just a few months from implementation, the time has come to move on to practical considerations. Let's start off with what I am not. I am not a pot user. I am not an advocate of people using marijuana. I am not in favour of minors having access to it, legally or not. In terms of helping people not to start, or to use it responsibly, or, more importantly, get off it if they are one of the people who cannot use it responsibly, it has always been my contention regulation should not fall under the purview of the criminal justice system. [continues 479 words]
National Non-Smoking Week 2018 National Non-Smoking Week (NNSW) has been observed during the third week in January for more than 35 years. From Jan. 21 to 27, one of the most important events in Canada's ongoing health education efforts in the prevention and reduction of tobacco use will be promoted, with Weedless Wednesday on Jan. 23. Weedless Wednesday focuses on the benefits of cessation and promotes a "one day at a time" approach to quitting smoking - a concept appealing to many smokers who may be discouraged when contemplating a week or perhaps a lifetime without cigarettes. Coping with one smoke-free day is manageable, and can contribute to small successes that lead to the decision of quitting long-term. [continues 412 words]
Expert says employers should treat recreational marijuana the same as alcohol - it's a no-no at work ST. JOHN'S , NL - St. John's lawyer Harold Smith of Stewart Mckelvey represents employers in all aspects of labour relations, employment and administration law, and as such has been helping employers adjust their policies to incorporate the legalization of marijuana. He addressed a recent presentation of the Canadian Pension and Benefits Institute, Atlantic Region, in St. John's, titled "Marijuana in the Workplace" for employers. [continues 470 words]
What can we expect with the legalization of marijuana? Proponents argue that legalization will reduce crime, lower criminal justice costs, improve public health, improve traffic safety and stimulate the economy. Opponents argue that legalization will spur marijuana and other drug and alcohol use, increase crime, diminish public safety and lower educational achievement. There is research available with some interesting results, but the most important point to be made is that at this stage research must be considered preliminary, since there has been insufficient time for conclusive evaluation and predictive results. [continues 449 words]
In Newfoundland and Labrador, the latest budget brought huge debt, a two per cent increase in the HST and shutdowns of everything from seniors' dental programs to more than half the province's public libraries. In Prince Edward Island, the HST's up one per cent, while Nova Scotia has gone through public sector wages to eke out the barest slender slip of a balanced budget. New Brunswick? It also raised HST by two points to 15 per cent and is talking about public sector job cuts. [continues 506 words]
A pall hangs over Denver, Colorado. Lawlessness stalks its streets, while stupefied potheads loll on every corner, stoned senseless on legal weed. Well, actually, no, it's not really like that at all. Really, it's just another day. Denver's like any other big American city: on the 16th Street Mall, there are vagrants on the corners, Broncos and Patriots fans spooling around while they wait for the start of the AFC final later in the day. Coffee shops are setting out chairs in the unseasonable warmth, and a robot street performer, painted entirely silver, is making plans with friends for after the game. [continues 505 words]
Dear Editor: RE: Safety trumps privacy (Feb. 1, 2010 editorial) "Sure marijuana is not even in the ballpark with crack cocaine, but it does fall under the illegal category making it difficult to justify its use." I can think of about a dozen reasons to justify using cannabis. It has dozens of medical applications, and even when smoked, its benefits outweigh any dangers. Also, chronic daily users don't suffer anywhere near the impairment that a casual user would. By that I mean, there are people smoking 10 joints a day and you would never know it to look at them, while other people are visibly impaired by just a few tokes. [continues 52 words]
I would like to take this opportunity to say hello to everyone and to introduce myself. I am the new drugs and organized crime awareness coordinator for Labrador. I come to this new position after serving 16 years in front-line policing. I have worked in many areas of the province including three communities along the Labrador coast. Having lived and worked in many different parts of the province I have come to realize that while every community is unique in its own way, every community also has its similarities. [continues 463 words]
Dealing With Crime-Drug Link According to Correctional Services Canada, 80 per cent of federal prisoners in Canada have substance abuse problems. Although the Labrador Correctional Center is a provincial correctional facility, corrections worker Allison Hagerty said she would estimate the figure to be similar in the local prison. This year she is the officer in charge of running a National Substance Abuse Program for inmates at the center. She said the experience so far seems to be a positive one and people taking the course seem to be learning from it. [continues 452 words]
It's funny how racism bubbles just under the surface, waiting for an excuse to rear its ugly head. Last week heartbreaking news emerged that someone used a child as a drug mule to smuggle marijuana into the supposedly alcohol and drug-free community of Natuashish. And it sure didn't take long for the racists to emerge from the woodwork and head for the Internet, where they smugly tut-tutted and suggested this was just another sign of a native community gone wrong. [continues 547 words]
Road Safety; A Provincial Matter A traffic services initiative saw five RCMP officers from Newfoundland on Labrador soil assisting in road safety checks. Constable Richard Whea-ton, RCMP acting team leader for traffic services in NL, said the main idea of the initiative was for the officers to work together as a group. Const. Wheaton said in a three-day period members issued a vast number of seatbelt infractions, speeding tickets and impaired driving. Const. Wheaton said the seatbelt law has been in place since the 80s and for drivers in this day and age to continue not to use them is not acceptable. [continues 281 words]
When you say the word "Addiction", most people relate this with illegal drugs such as cocaine, heroin or other hard drugs, but the truth of the matter is, there are more people addicted to legal drugs such as caffeine, nicotine and alcohol, then hard drugs. Just take a drive by Tim Hortons around 7:30 a.m., and watch as cars line up in the drive through, with drivers in a rush to get their morning fix. Most people don't think of caffeine as a drug, but it actually is. It's a stimulant that's found in pain relievers, cold medications, coffee, tea, cola drinks, chocolate and other foods and beverages. [continues 561 words]
Catchy title, makes you want to read further, doesn't it? What do I mean, by "you're being watched?" I'm not talking about the police but rather the oldest sibling in a family. How many of you adults were affected by the oldest brother or sister in the family? If you smoke drugs or drink underage, against (most) parents' wishes, what do you think little sister or brother will think when they learn of this? Naturally, they will figure that if it's OK for the older sibling then it's OK for them. [continues 451 words]
I asked a group of young kids once what they thought heroin was. One little girl piped up and replied, "Isn't that a hero that's a girl?" she inquired innocently mistaking the addictive drug with the word heroine. Opium is processed from the milky fluid of the unripe seedpod of the opium poppy plant. The two most prevalent opiates in this fluid are morphine and codeine, both widely used in medicines today. The main reason for the decline in the popularity of opium is the availability of semi synthetic and synthetic prescription opiates. [continues 495 words]
Substance Abuse Pilot Project Launched In Sheshatshiu School A bold initiative in tackling substance abuse problems in the province's aboriginal communities was revived and kicked off in Sheshatshiu last week. Like the DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program Aboriginal Shield is designed to equip school aged children with the skills to recognize and resist social pressures to experiment with tobacco, alcohol, other drugs. "The big difference with the Aboriginal Shield, is like the name says, it's geared directly towards aboriginal communities," says Peenamin McKenzie program facilitator Gerald Asivak. [continues 679 words]
The Drug Deal Here's the test. You're with a group of friends and one of them pulls out a baggie with some unknown substance in it and promptly informs you that it's the cool thing to do and says (here's the classic) "Everyone does it." Now try the same scenario but with a bottle of liquor. What do you do? I ask high school students during presentations the question, "Are you going to jump off a cliff because your friends say it's O.K.?" So why use drugs? [continues 670 words]
Local RCMP Makes Historic Drug Seizure In Central Labrador The RCMP scored a major victory in the war against drugs recently with the seizure of over 13lbs of marihuana. It marks the single largest drug bust of that kind in Labrador's history. As part of an on going investigation members of the Goose Bay and Sheshatshiu detachments stopped a vehicle traveling east on the Trans Labrador Highway on the night of Saturday, Feb. 17. Inside the vehicle, officers discovered the large quantity of they believe to be high quality marihuana. [continues 210 words]
Many a time I have received a telephone call from a distraught parent whose child has gotten involved in drugs. They call looking for some help. In some cases, the drugs have been found in the home. In other cases the parent has a strong suspicion, but no tangible proof. As parents, we must go back to school and learn a few important points. A strong knowledge base of drugs abuse, current trends and attitudes is vital. Then we have the other half of the equation involving the actual communication with the child. [continues 482 words]
