It seems like Hallowe'en every time the Liberals disguise the truth with their announcements. Witness the marijuana moneymaker. Do you think Ontario's Tax Queen (Kathleen Wynne) is rushing to establish distribution policy for the safety of our children? Balderdash. This program has the potential to be one of the largest tax grabs in Canadian history. Politicians have two primary objectives: acquiring new tax revenues and votes. This program accomplishes both. But there is a darker side. If you think there's an issue with distracted driving now, imagine the double whammy from being high. There are already plenty of laws to prevent drunk driving, but the problems continue. Lives will be sacrificed. Sadly, in today's political environment, power and profit take precedence over people. Greg McLachlan London [end]
All first responders in the Fernie area are now equipped to take on a potential opioid crisis. Fernie Fire and Rescue were the last group in the area to become trained in opioid overdose situations by BC Emergency Health Services. The main area of focus for training was on Naloxone, the antidote for opioid overdoses. Unable to give any numbers at this time, Elk Valley RCMP Corporal Bob Wright did state that, "We have responded to Fentanyl drug use in the Elk Valley. It has resulted in overdose-type situations." [continues 623 words]
Event celebrates medical and recreational marijuana The nation's dankest weed will soon descend upon Vancouver for the second annual Kush Cup, a celebration of medical and recreational cannabis that includes a Canada-wide growers' competition. The event, which runs June 28 to 30, was started as part of the Vancouver Health Expo last year by Mark Klokeid, who wants to see a reversal of the negative stigma surrounding the substance.(Kush is a strain of marijuana.) "It's important to normalize [cannabis,] so the Vancouver Health Expo is very useful," Klokeid said. "It helps us attract a lot of people interested in health and wellness and shows people that it is a health issue." [continues 482 words]
So Congressman Michael McCaul wants to step up the war on drugs and win it. He should start by obeying the first rule: Follow the money. The whole thing is about money. And the money is all coming from United States buyers of drugs. We are the problem, not the Mexicans. A War on Drugs is not the answer. Let the free market work, and put the United States money that goes into fighting this war into rehabilitation. With lots of illegal drugs available, the price will eventually go down, the earnings from drug dealing will decline, and the problem will decrease. The problem will then be for those people unwise enough to buy and consume illegal drugs. I say this as a life-long conservative Republican who has watched federal politicians address only crises too late and quite typically with the wrong solutions. Bert McLachlan, Katy [end]
When the team behind Proposition 19 pot legalization measure conceded last night, it was with a strong message that they would be back for another try soon. In fact, they sounded a lot like Proposition 8 opponents, who pledged they would soon be back with an initiative to legalize same-sex marriage. And both could be back in 2012, for the same reason - demographic trends are on their side. Prop. 19 lost by 7.8 points, or 566,000 votes. Demographic trends alone suggest much of this margin will disappear in the next two years. [continues 717 words]
African Americans make up only about 7 percent of California's population, but you wouldn't know that from watching the Proposition 19 campaign. The public face of the campaign to stop the marijuana legalization initiative has been Bishop Ron Allen, a prominent black preacher, while one of the most visible backers of the yes side has been California NAACP head Alice Huffman. Meanwhile, the Prop. 23 campaign has been lining up African-American and Hispanic Chambers of Commerce in their effort to suspend AB 32, California's law to fight global warming. The campaign recently did a photo opp outside Texas Mexican Restaurant in Sacramento featuring owner Griselda Barajas. [continues 848 words]
On Monday, the California State Conference of the NAACP announced its "unconditional endorsement" of a November initiative that would legalize the recreational use of marijuana. On Tuesday, the NAACP said why. According to a just-released study by the Drug Policy Alliance, blacks are far more likely to be arrested for pot possession than whites - even though statistically, blacks use marijuana at lower rates than whites. The Alliance, a national advocacy group, favors treatment rather than arrest or imprisonment for people suffering from drug dependency. [continues 907 words]
Recent statewide polls show that an initiative to legalize and regulate marijuana could be in trouble. But they also show that opinions skew heavily by age, giving encouragement to those who believe voters are still likely to choose legalization in the next few years if the measure loses in November. A Los Angeles Times/USC poll of 1,506 registered voters found that 49 percent favored legalization and 41 percent were opposed. The Times poll, conducted May 19 to 26, follows a Public Policy Institute of California poll released on May 19. That poll showed 49 percent of respondents in favor of legalization and 48 percent opposed. Both polls had a margin of error of less than three points. [continues 1335 words]
In this year's presidential election, medical marijuana advocates in California were pretty clear on which candidate they were rooting for. On multiple occasions, Democrat Barack Obama has pledged to end the federal raids that have bedeviled the state's dispensaries for years under the Bush administration. But some of their relief has turned into concern as the incoming president has begun to consider appointments to key posts. Obama will reportedly appoint two men who have been fierce critics of medical marijuana: Eric Holder, rumored to be Obama's pick for attorney general, and Donald Vereen as transitional co-chair of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). [continues 987 words]
California's ongoing revolt against the federal ban on medical marijuana is moving forward with a pair of bills from Assembly Democrats. AB 2743 from Lori Saldana, D-San Diego, now sits in the Assembly Appropriations Committee. It would instruct local governments and law enforcement agencies to "not assist in federal raids, arrests, investigations, or prosecutions" of medical marijuana patients or providers. Meanwhile, Assemblyman Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, pulled his AB 2279 from a floor vote on Monday due to absence of a pair of key Democratic supporters. This bill would bar employers from firing workers for valid use of medical marijuana under state law. Leno said he would bring the bill back to the floor in the next few days. [continues 879 words]
Police found 840 marijuana plants, cocaine, LSD and $22,000 in cash. Two charged in drug raid A London agency that distributes marijuana for medical use was closed yesterday after a large marijuana grow operation was discovered inside a downtown building. Members of the London police street drug unit found 840 marijuana plants, marijuana, growing equipment, cocaine, magic mushrooms, LSD and $22,000 in Canadian and American currency inside four units at 343 Richmond St. in a search on Saturday afternoon, police said yesterday. [continues 564 words]
R. H. MacLachlan (Apples and oranges. If there is a doctor-approved medicinal value, we support it.) [continues 5 words]
I AM writing in response to your editorial (Jan. 21) concerning raising the price of cigarettes and the crime associated with the illegal profits that are realized. The same argument could be said for marijauna. Legalize, lower the price and remove the lucrative profits for criminals. Just an idea. Dare I say a common sense one? Craig MacLachlan (Why stop at marijuana?) [end]
Yuor continued denigration of those who write to you in an effort to open your eyes is astounding. Bill Gallagher (letter Sept. 10), by trying to help you see the truth about our horrible, failed war on (some) drugs became the target of yet another of your narrowminded outbursts. Huh? Have we been smoking a little "wacky tobbacky?" It's quite ironic that the, "reefer madness" mentality you use to insult is the very foolishness he was trying to educate out of you! May I suggest you read the excellent Drug Crazy by Mike Gray, for surely there could not be a thinking person on the planet, who, having read this book would still support the crazy war on (some) drugs. Childish outbursts like yours do not belong in the media. A. Lachlan - --- Checked-by: Rolf Ernst [end]
