Dear Editor: Contrary to Joe Fries' editorial "Abstinence works best" (Courier, Aug. 16), Rhode Island treats addicted prison inmates with methadone, buprenorphine and naltrexone. Like methadone, buprenorphine is an opioid agonist, or replacement opioid. Naltrexone is an opioid antagonist that blocks opioid receptors. The benefits of opioid substitution therapy are well-established, in and out of prison. It reduces crime, prevents overdoses and the spread of infectious diseases, denies profits to criminal gangs, allows addicted individuals to function normally within their families, jobs, and communities, and gets them off the hamster wheel of raising money by hook or by crook to pay criminal gangs for illicit opioids of unknown potency and purity. [continues 176 words]
More than half of all Canadians believe drug treatment should focus on abstinence, rather than opioid replacement therapies, according to poll results released this week. Research Co. found 57% of those surveyed were in favour of programs that aim to get people off drugs entirely, rather than programs that supply people with free dope to help keep them healthy and out of trouble. It's unclear from the results if people's attitudes towards drug treatment are shifting, but it's clear that a majority of the population supports an approach that doesn't enable addicts. [continues 235 words]
Last week, the Liberal government introduced the 2018 budget. As is customary in Canadian democracy, it is the role of the Liberal government to promote what it views as the merits of their budget. As the Official Opposition, it is our job to illustrate the concerns we have with the budget. On that note, I have a few. It has become clear over this mandate, that the prime minister excels in making promises, but often falls short on the delivery of said promises. For example, we were promised electoral reform, a national housing strategy, infrastructure investment, new fighter jets for our militaryÂ…the list goes on. This budget is no exception. Mr. Trudeau distinctly promised Canadians that after a series of small deficits, his government would return to a balanced budget in 2019. This budget demonstrates that the Liberals have no intention whatsoever of returning to balance in 2019. [continues 454 words]
Medical marijuana added to health-insurance plan Medical marijuana will soon be part of health insurance for students at UBC Okanagan. The one-year pilot program will begin in September. University of Waterloo began a similar plan in 2014. The idea was initiated by Michelle Thiessen, chairwoman of the Okanagan chapter of Canadian Students for Sensible Drug Policy and a UBCO graduate student. Without coverage for medical marijuana, students are left covering 100 per cent of the costs while still paying into the student health insurance plan, she said. [continues 288 words]
Dear editor: If cannabis legalization gets any more costly, we may need to revert back to the black market model. At least then, patients needn't struggle to get their medication. The current victims of the legalization effort are the dispensaries, and with them the patients. They filled a gap left when the government permitted medical marijuana in 2001, but left the patient without access to their medication. Fifteen years later, Neil Allard successfully sued the government for unduly restricting the access to medical cannabis. [continues 318 words]
Health official says region needs to be able to treat more drug users With the second highest rate of illicit drug overdose deaths in the province last year, the overdose crisis in the Okanagan remains concerning and distressing, says chief medical health officer Trevor Corneil. "It means that everything we're doing, and we're doing a lot, is clearly not enough," he said. In the Okanagan, there were 150 overdose deaths, a rate of 40.8 per 100,000 people, in 2017, up from 77 deaths in 2016, a rate of 21.2 per 100,000 people, according to the BC Coroners Service report released Wednesday. [continues 676 words]
Dear editor: This is a response to Gord Marshall's wherein he states "Pot smokers will hurt the water system" (Daily Courier, Jan. 9). Mr. Marshall, your statement may or may not be true. From what I have seen, pot smokers generally keep their roaches, as they are called (not butts), because pot is expensive and the old roach material can be used later in another joint or pipe. There is very little waste. Also, people don't hang out on the corner drinking beer because there are bars to go to, where you can relax and have a drink. Very civilized. Looks like pot smokers will have no such luxury. [continues 76 words]
Dear editor: Re: "Looking ahead to 2018," editorial by James Miller (Daily Courier, Jan. 2). Miller's statement that "most Canadians support legalizing pot," where does he get his information on this presumption? I believe it's completely opposite to Miller's so-called facts. Most Canadians do not support Prime Minister Trudeau's pot plan for Canada. We will become potheads all because of just a few potheads from the big cities like Vancouver and back east. I would guess that 80 per cent of Canadians are against it, or maybe as high as 90 per cent. So 10 or 20 per cent doesn't sound to me as "most Canadians." [continues 149 words]
The B.C. NDP government tipped its hand Tuesday on how it plans to regulate the legal sale of marijuana. Besides setting the age at 19 to buy, possess and consume pot, similar to alcohol and tobacco, the province said the B.C. Liquor Distribution Branch will be the sole supplier, distributing pot to private and public stores in the same manner it already does with booze. The government didn't address exactly who will sell pot but it looks like the NDP will take a different tact from the model already laid out in Ontario, where legal pot will only be available in about 150 stores, all operated by that province's liquor control board. [continues 604 words]
B.C. decides marijuana will be sold in both gov't and privately owned outlets The B.C. government's decision that the private sector can have a role in the sale of marijuana next year comes as expected but still welcome news to Rob Lindsay. Lindsay, spokesman for one of the existing Kelowna pot shops, said he was "thrilled" with Victoria's announcement Tuesday that the retailing of marijuana will be accomplished through a mix of government-controlled and privately owned outlets. [continues 552 words]
West Kelowna floods shops with fines, while Kelowna takes them to court The City of West Kelowna has issued $60,000 in fines to the operators of pot shops since Nov. 1, but none of the tickets has been paid. Bylaw officers regularly visit the five stores that sell marijuana, handing out $1,000 tickets each time for not having a business licence, city spokesperson Kirsten Jones says. But the City of Kelowna has opted for a different approach in trying to force the closure of five pot shops operating without a business licence in that municipality. [continues 567 words]
It's late afternoon and you receive a text message: 'Friends coming for dinner. Please pick up wine.' You pull into the neighbourhood liquor store, pick up a bottle of your favourite wine and head home. A familiar scene taking place across the province every day. When you go into your local liquor store, you have confidence knowing that you're buying a quality product in a secure environment, with stores conveniently located in every community across the province. B.C.'s public and private liquor stores have a proven track record over many decades, selling controlled alcohol products to adults in a responsible manner, with more than a 90 per cent compliance rate in restricting sales to minors. [continues 533 words]
Dear editor: On Oct. 19, I was saddened and outraged while viewing Global Okanagan's interview with West Kelowna city councillor, Rusty Ensign, regarding the pulling of business licences of the city's medical cannabis dispensaries. Last week, I attended one of West Kelowna's cannabis dispensaries to purchase some edible products which help to control my pain and allow me to get some quality sleep, and, contrary to Ensign's claims that such stores service 20-30-year-old males, there were none in the shop, only three other ladies, of which only one was under the age of 65. [continues 210 words]
5 West Kelowna stores rack up daily fines as they continue to sell marijuana despite loss of their business licences No business licence, no problem. That seems to be the defiant attitude of five West Kelowna pot shops, which continue to sell marijuana despite orders from the city to shut down. "We are open for business as we speak," Selina Lau of Black Crow Herbal Solutions said Monday. The operators of each store are being fined $1,000 a day for not having a business licence. The fines began Nov. 1 and will continue indefinitely, the City of West Kelowna says. [continues 370 words]
Group against drunk driving says injuries, deaths due to driving high likely to increase after pot use is legalized in Canada next summer Crashes caused by drivers high on pot are likely to spike after the drug is legalized next summer, MADD Canada says. American states that have already approved the use of marijuana have seen sharp increases in fatal accidents in which a driver was impaired by the drug, MADD's western region manager for chapter services said Sunday. "That's certainly been the experience in Washington state and Colorado, and we will probably see an increase in deaths and injuries related to cannabis use here after it's legalized next July," Tracy Crawford said after a MADD-hosted candlelight vigil for victims of impaired driving. [continues 349 words]
Most Canadians are in favour of legalizing marijuana and for many different reasons. Little Kyla Williams in Summerland became a poster child across North America for the benefits of medical cannabis. Recreational users affirm that pot is less harmful than alcohol. (Most cops agree that drunks are far harder to deal with than stoners.) A suggestion by the Green Party is to take distribution out of the control of organized crime and tax it like they do for alcohol and tobacco. A portion of tax collected can then be directed for education and treatment programs for those who become addicted. [continues 225 words]
Although the topic of the finance minister and his assets that were not held in a blind trust, leaving a potential conflict of interest investigation looming remains an active one in Ottawa, it will not be the topic of this week's report. Instead, I would like to solicit your thoughts on the pending legalization of marijuana. For those of you unfamiliar, the Liberals in the last election openly campaigned on the legalization of marijuana. I raise that point as I believe the Liberals received a democratic mandate from voters to move ahead with marijuana legalization. [continues 392 words]
West Kelowna councillor declares conflict of interest during discussion of B.C.'s policy on sale of marijuana West Kelowna city Coun. Rosalind Neis did not participate this week in discussions about how marijuana should be distributed when it is legalized. At the outset of Tuesday's deliberations, Neis declared a conflict of interest. "As you're all well aware, I hold stock in publicly traded cannabis companies, so I will be excusing myself from this discussion," Neis told her council colleagues before leaving the meeting room. [continues 122 words]
At a special council meeting, Tuesday city council lit up its marijuana advice for the provincial government. Mayor Doug Findlater and his council provided feedback for the ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General on the legalization of non-medical marijuana. Council came up with these suggestions: * The minimum age to buy, grow and possess marijuana should be 19. * Province should prohibit public cannabis smoking altogether, but allow cannabis vaping wherever tobacco smoking and vaping are allowed. [continues 623 words]
Editor: We need to seriously consider legalization of illegal substances, as this cannot continue. In countries such as Portugal, statistics show overdoses, crime and addiction rates decreased following legalization. With fewer arrests and lifelong sentences, some prisons became so vacant that they were refurbished to apartments and living quarters. These could be used by low income people or those on government assistance, homeless or recovering addicts. Like those in living in RVs on farmland down Gulley Road who need a place to live, this would be perfect for Vancouver and Kelowna with their high rents, lack of housing and the mild climate that many homeless come to (or are sent to) for the winter. [continues 116 words]
