Nearly 2,000 Revellers Light Up at Annual 4/20 Rally Close to 2,000 people gathered at the Legislative Building grounds on Sunday, their eyes impatiently on the time, awaiting for 4:20 p.m. to strike. A countdown, followed by boisterous cheering and a cloud of smoke marked Winnipeg's effort in the annual 4/20 celebration, the pro-marijuana rally that is recognized worldwide. An interview with Bill Vander-Graff, a retired cop and licensed medical marijuana user, came to an abrupt halt at 4:20 so he could relish in the festivities. [continues 358 words]
Marijuana to be legalized in Manitoba; following Colorado footsteps In the wake of a court decision that allows medical marijuana users to continue to grow their own pot, Manitoba will become the first Canadian jurisdiction to follow in the footsteps of Colorado and Washington, the Sun has learned. Policy-makers have been closely watching events in Colorado and the income the state is harvesting due to the legalization of marijuana. Manitoba, long known to be a test market for many distributors and products, will soon be used to test legalization of marijuana in Canada, sources said. [continues 207 words]
Pro-pot advocates marched from city hall to the legislature on Saturday to promote grow-your-own medical marijuana. After a legal reprieve Friday, a group of 25 people braved the chilly air to raise awareness of new Health Canada rules that are posed to stop people from being able to grow marijuana in private residences. Organizer Steven Stairs, who is also CEO of the Marijuana Party of Canada for Kildonan/St. Paul, said they also wanted to raise awareness on the recent action taken by police against area head shops. [continues 210 words]
Smoke Shop Owner Takes Steps to Weed Out Minors, Appease Residents A Winnipeg head shop has vowed to keep minors out of its stores in a deal that will likely prevent future police raids. The Winnipeg Police Service raided The Joint on St. Mary's Road and Hemp Haven during a January crackdown, since some of the stores' products can be used to consume marijuana. WPS says the action followed complaints from 10 nearby schools. But during a Monday meeting of police, The Joint, school officials and a city councillor, the store committed to take several measures to ensure those concerns are addressed. [continues 381 words]
I keep hearing Conservative attack ads on the radio against Justin Trudeau's stance on pot, which is the only thing I like about the man. He is a famous name, unproven, and I believe he has no business running a party, let alone the country. However, as more states in the U.S. are legalizing the recreational use of marijuana, it is worth noting that it's less harmful than alcohol or cigarettes. Properly regulated, its sales would be a huge revenue source for the government. [continues 78 words]
City Plans To Open First Medical Marijuana Facility In Manitoba PORTAGE LA PRAIRIE - A green light has been given for a medical marijuana facility to open in Portage la Prairie. Medical Manitoba Green Inc. received conditional use approval for their facility, which will be located in an old sewing factory. "Think what you might about marijuana and the use of it, this is a legislated thing and we're going to go ahead with it," said Portage Mayor Earl Porter. "This is the first one in the province and it might be the only one. This is an opportunity that's gonna come knocking once, so we're going to grab it." [continues 185 words]
Head Shop Owners Say They Run Legitimate Business but City Isn't Helping The Save the Head Shops group is afraid their legitimate businesses are about to go up in smoke. With shops facing scrutiny and police pressure, Hemp Haven owner Jeremy Loewen called a press conference to address the problems. "The Joint was raided and they took everything inside his store," Loewen said Tuesday. "Eight months went by, they went back and arrested two people in that store. Then, about a week and a half after that, I was arrested in my store. Then, it just started escalating and they started going to other stores, saying, 'Look, you've got to close your doors, and if you don't close your store, we're going to close it for you.'" [continues 316 words]
The city using the excuse that head shops are causing safety concerns in neighbourhoods to justify their harassment of the owners of head shops is a load of bull if I ever heard one. Head shops are no more of a threat to families, children, etc. than bars, liquor stores, or even the convenience store, or any other business that provides an adult product or service, which are readily available in almost every neighbourhood in the city. This is nothing short of harassment and an attack on small business owners and their livelihood. As a homeowner and taxpayer (who lives quite close to a head shop) I demand that the persons involved cease and desist this unprofessional behaviour and monumental waste of taxpayer funded resources which could be used for better things than harassing small businesses who contribute to the economy. Vostok Hazard (Except those other business have no hint of connection to illegal drugs.) [end]
OTTAWA - An addiction worker behind Canada's first crack pipe vending machines has shot back at the government's lack of support, saying if they "really cared about people, they would at least fund detox and treatment programs." Vancouver's Drug Users Resource Centre set up a pair of vending machines that sell crack pipes for a quarter as part of a harm reduction strategy. Vancouver's Drug Users Resource Centre (DURC) set up two vending machines that sell crack pipes for a quarter. They were installed six months ago but made headlines recently, prompting Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney to issue a swift and emphatic response. [continues 148 words]
A Crackdown by the Man Is Totally Harshing Local Head Shop Owners' Buzz After paying taxes and operating in the city for years, owners of local head shops claim a police crackdown is unfairly weeding them out. "I'm a legitimate business. I have been here for 12 years in the community," said Jeremy Loewen, owner of Hemp Haven. That's why Loewen said he felt shocked to be arrested and charged with possessing goods obtained by crime and selling an instrument for illegal drug use on Jan. 27. [continues 400 words]
The war on drugs, especially marijuana, has been an abject failure. Larry Comeau, in his letter, states Obama is being irresponsible by claiming pot is no more harmful than alcohol. I agree, alcohol kills at least 6,000 Canadians every year, marijuana, zero. Another fallacy, brought on by the anti-pot faction, is the "stepping stone drug" myth. I contend most teens drink alcohol, or smoke tobacco, before they try marijuana. Another point the naysayers ignore is through legalization, comes taxation. The estimates, from B.C., put the value of marijuana cultivation, at $2-$10 billion dollars, making it one of B.C.'s top three industries. All that tax, could be used to fix our crumbling infrastructure, and prop up our failing health care system. We spend at least $400 million dollars a year, fighting this ridiculous war, while close to 60% of Canadians agree it's time to rethink our strategy concerning incarceration versus addiction treatment. If you don't believe that we can fi! nd a viable solution to this dilemma, look no further than Portugal, and what they have discovered, since they ended this un-winnable and costly war. David Reid (Canada will watch closely what is happening with legal pot in Colorado.) [end]
Re: "Pot no more dangerous than alcohol: Obama," Jan 20. In an obvious attempt to show how cool he is, Obama is being irresponsible claiming pot is no more harmful than alcohol. As a narcotic pot can be very harmful and can lead to addiction. Think of the added impact to health systems, adding more addictions would create. Like many pushing legalizing pot, Obama is showing blissful blindness of studies showing early use of marijuana has been shown to cause psychosis later in life. Other studies have shown clearly that marijuana time and time again has been shown to be a stepping-stone drug to even more addictive narcotics like heroin and cocaine. Having someone like Obama make such an irresponsible statement is reprehensible. Larry Comeau (Like it or not, the pot debate is going to happen here very soon. [end]
Cannabis (marijuana) prohibition is one of North America's worst policy failures in history. There's no legitimate reason for Canada to continue it for another day. Cannabis prohibition produces underground markets, cartels, increased hard drug addiction rates, contempt for drug laws, eroded constitutional rights, loss of freedom, escalated prison populations, corrupt politicians, race discrimination, trillions of dollars in wasted taxes and the list is growing faster than the plant itself. The sooner Canada ends cannabis prohibition the sooner the sky will stop falling in. A sane argument to continue cannabis prohibition doesn't exist. Everyone interested in this debate is watching the events Colorado closely. [end]
If there's only one thing I dislike about the Conservatives, it's their attitude toward marijuana. Jenn Gearey's letter on behalf of Peter MacKay says the drug is illegal because of the harmful effects on users and society. That was exactly the same reasoning for the prohibition of alcohol in the 1930s. The letter says making the drug legal would make it more available to children. Making alcohol legal did not make it more available to children. The letter says criminal justice and policing systems have been improved to protect families and communities. Was this not also the case during prohibition? I support the Conservatives, but for this. It is an unreasonable policy, and it should be changed by the Conservatives, not the Liberals. David J. Still (Not sure stealing Justin Trudeau's only policy would serve the Conservatives well.) [end]
Learning from new U.S. laws Canadian policy-makers should keep a close eye on the recent legalizing of marijuana in two U.S. states before deciding on a direction in the pot debate now raging north of the border, a prominent American drug-policy expert says. Mark Kleiman, a professor with the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) and an adviser to Washington State on the recent loosening of its pot laws, says it will be to Canada's "advantage" to take note of how Washington and Colorado deal with the legalization of marijuana - a recreational drug many consider to be potentially addictive and a health hazard - and to take note of the successes and the challenges experienced by both states. [continues 544 words]
The Conservative Government, including Minister MacKay, has been clear: We will not decriminalize or legalize marijuana. These drugs are illegal because of the harmful effects they have on users and on society. Prime Minister Harper stated in late August, and Minister MacKay has reiterated in mid-December, that our Government would look at the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police's (CACP) proposal to ticket small amounts of marijuana. The CACP has also communicated that it does not support the legalization or decriminalization of marijuana and opposes Justin Trudeau's Liberal party proposal to legalize it. To do so would make it more available to Canadian children. Our government will not relent in protecting families and communities across this country. We have strengthened the ability of police to target drug dealers and grow-ops and will continue to improve our criminal justice system. (Thanks for the letter.) [end]
Uh-oh, does someone have some 'splainin' to do? Federal Justice Minister Peter MacKay is hinting the Conservative government might consider modernizing Canada's marijuana laws when it comes to possession of small amounts of pot. He told QMI Agency so in an exclusive interview this week. "That doesn't mean decriminalizing or legalizing," he said, "but it does mean giving police options, for example, to issue fines in addition to any other sanctions, or as a substitute for other sanctions," the nation's top justice official said. So far, so good - except ... Except, the same Conservative government, in a widely aired radio attack ad, made political hay this fall out of Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau for promoting legalizing and taxing pot. [continues 256 words]
Re: 'Feds high on justice,' Dec. 18. I don't want a ticket. I want marijuana to be legalized. The announcement by the Conservatives that they were thinking of ticketing for possession of small amounts of pot is their attempt to counter the Liberal's plan to legalize pot. To issue tickets for possession doesn't address the issue of illicit production. The illicit production of cannabis is the biggest harm we face. It's not the recreational or medical use of pot that is the problem; but rather our continued reluctance to admit we were wrong. Until we legalize pot we will continue to cause more harm. Fred Mallach (You will hear plenty of this in 2014) [end]
Clinton didn't inhale, Bush allegedly did coke, Klein apparently walked around at .08 when he ran Alberta, Rob Ford ... well, the jury's still out on that one. Now Liberal leader Justin Trudeau admits he smoked pot with some friends. Whoopty-doo. Always remember that politicians are very calculated beasts who will reveal what they want, when they want, in a very rehearsed situation. This is a very clever ploy to show his "human side" and will most likely be reflected in a minor platform of marijuana legalization when the next federal election comes up. [continues 217 words]
Pot activist denies toking with Trudeau OTTAWA - Pro-pot activist Marc Emery is offering his mea culpas to Justin Trudeau from a U.S. jail for saying he'd smoked pot a few times with the Liberal leader. But Emery said he did get high once with Trudeau in August 2003 on a restaurant patio in Vancouver, though it was Emery "doing most of the smoking." Trudeau said Friday Emery was "flat out lying" about the '09 allegations, only met Emery once, and abstained from any pot use with the activist. [continues 271 words]
I don't care much either way whether marijuana is legalized, but some questions need to be answered before it is. 1. How is making it legal and more widely accessible going to keep it away from the kids? 2. Society has been pushing hard to eliminate smoking. Will this bring back more smoking (including more tobacco), increase lung cancer, and impact the health-care system? 3. There was a lot of health/cancer concerns about second-hand smoke with tobacco, so should we also be concerned about second-hand smoke with pot? 4. Are the impaired driving laws adequate for pot and do we have mechanisms for detecting impairment sufficient to prosecute? [continues 52 words]
I'm not a fan of Justin Trudeau or most of his policies, but I have to agree with his stance on pot. He has it right in that regulation will go a long way towards keeping marijuana out of the hands of children and remove much of it from the control of criminal entities. As for the Tory response, I wonder how many of them smoke cigarettes, cigars, drink alcohol or eat fast food. There are numerous health and society issues which are harmful and you cannot use this reason for criminalizing one, without criminalizing them all. Melissa Marchesi (You're blowing smoke.) [end]
The Sun needs to cut Justin Trudeau a little slack. His recent reversal on the legalization of marijuana may give us a good indication of his ability to create thoughtful and effective policy. Legalizing marijuana, presumably by taking it out of the hands of pushers and dealers and putting it into corner stores will be a great advance in keeping it out of the hands of children. After all, it works for tobacco, doesn't it? Ian Nunn (We'll see if his support goes to pot.) [end]
Re: 'Demons Spare None of Us,' (Editorial, July 17). The fact is, about 4% of the population is susceptible to addictive behaviour. This was true when all drugs were legal and is still true today. The "demons" do not bother the other 96% of us. So the title of this piece is really not accurate. We should help the 4% to the best of our abilities, but the rest of us should not be saddled with laws intended to protect them from themselves. (If you think only 4% of the population suffers with addiction, you're living in a dream world. Those demons also referred to underlying mental issues.) [end]
Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau now says he's in favour of legalizing pot. We disagree, which means we agree with what Trudeau said at last year's Liberal party convention, where delegates voted in favour of legalizing marijuana and he was opposed. At that convention, Trudeau told ProjectRedDot legalization would likely increase marijuana consumption, which is "not great for your health" and "disconnects you a little bit from the world," adding, "I don't know that it's entirely consistent with the kind of society we're trying to build." [continues 309 words]
New Medical Marijuana Rules Hurt Patients, Claims Licensed Home Grower A crackdown intended to keep medical marijuana out of the hands of crooks will mostly take it away from needy patients, says a Winnipeg grower. Steven Stairs says his homegrown remedy has helped treat his glaucoma so well that his ocular pressure is healthy and normal. He's licensed to grow his own medicine, and has been since 2009, but the federal government is phasing out the program in favour of having small businesses retail medical marijuana, at market rates. [continues 733 words]
There were no bongs like Donkey Kong, but drug paraphernalia with Luigi and other licensed characters were seized when RCMP raided three city businesses Wednesday. The RCMP's Federal Enforcement Section (FES), with help from Winnipeg police and Manitoba Finance, executed search warrants at retail outlets of The Joint on St. Mary's Road, Pembina Highway and Marion Street. Police said at a news conference Thursday that the businesses had merchandise containing images of or replicated copyright protected images. Confiscated materials included those with images of The Simpsons, Spider-Man, Star Wars and NHL teams. [continues 132 words]
New research shows that retelling your past drug and alcohol experiences to your adolescent children is possibly a bad idea. A study by The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign found that kids whose parents spilled the beans were less likely to hold anti-substance abuse perceptions. "Why would we tell them our gory or law-breaking behaviours of the past? What good would possibly come from that except maybe a release of guilt for the parent?" says teen expert Mary Jo Rapini. "They may tell themselves that you did it so it's okay for them to. Remember our kids use us as a guide for what is the norm for them," she says. [continues 714 words]
The Manitoba Warriors formed two decades ago from a group of drug-slingers who rapidly grew the gang into an organized and feared criminal group, one which today casts its shadow across several provinces despite several major crackdown efforts by police. And with Winnipeg police currently having more than 300 Manitoba Warriors (MW) members and associates in their records, there's fear the gang's growth will continue, leaving it "one of the dominant organized street gangs" which battles for control of the lucrative drug trade in Winnipeg's North End and inner-city areas and in remote communities. [continues 837 words]
A Manitoba jailhouse drug conspiracy case has concluded with prosecutors securing convictions against several key players, including an aboriginal elder working at Headingley Correctional Centre. It's a case that sheds light on the prison dope-trafficking underworld, where huge profits are the reward for inmates bold enough to brave the risks involved. Thomas Hall, 27, was convicted Friday of conspiring to traffic marijuana into Headingley jail while housed as an inmate there in November 2010. Following a five-day trial, Judge Marvin Garfinkel found Hall was involved in a plot to smuggle 79.62 grams of marijuana into the jail with the assistance of others, including an aboriginal elder collared by RCMP in possession of the drugs and cash. [continues 673 words]
A Manitoba judge has blasted the actions of two Winnipeg cops, saying they illegally walked into and searched a reputed Hells Angels associate's business and flagrantly breached his rights by handcuffing and searching him without cause. The drug-trafficking case against Alejandro Chung, 45, collapsed Friday after Court of Queen's Bench Justice Doug Abra refused to allow into evidence the cocaine and marijuana cops found during their search of La Mota on Portage Avenue on Oct. 27, 2009. After Abra threw out the drug evidence, the Crown closed its case. [continues 449 words]
There's been some clamour lately calling for the legalization of marijuana, but having already seen alcohol's ill effects, including countless broken homes, addictions and thousands of deaths caused by drunk-driving yearly, legalization seems ridiculous. Personally, I've had individuals approach me to join them in smoking marijuana, justifying it by arguing its medicinal benefits and social value. Studies have strongly linked marijuana to mental illnesses. Furthermore, our youth could be damaged by the inevitable marijuana proliferation this legalization brings. [continues 72 words]
Alejandro Chung is charged with serious drug crimes. But really, it's the actions of the Winnipeg police officers who arrested him that are on trial. Chung's case is raising major questions about the legal lengths cops can go in acting on their suspicions to enter businesses without warrant or invitation. Chung, 45, has pleaded not guilty to possession for the purpose of trafficking after cops seized cocaine and marijuana from his head shop business, La Mota, on Portage Avenue on the evening of Oct. 27, 2009. [continues 424 words]
Re: 'Drug scourge takes its toll,' Jan. 27. The RCMP should realize that when they're saying it's "probably just the tip of the iceberg" what they are saying, in effect, is they're only eliminating rival dealers' competition. The scourge of drug prohibition is so entrenched in the 21st century that it has become, essentially, the (un)necessary evil for providing platforms for politicians and making work for enforcement. Drug prohibition consigned Lori Davis' son to a life of criminality as well as his untimely and horrific demise, and apparently nobody -- not politicians, the RCMP, or the coroner's office, or, for that matter, media -- had the decency or courtesy to level with her about it. Instead, she and her son are used by the RCMP as the poster child for reinforcing the very thing that is not only responsible for Chad's demise, but also the devastation which is hobbling Canada and media chooses to go along. Unbelievable! Just how many more Chads will have to happen before anything is learned? Wayne Phillips What have you been smoking? The last thing we need is the legalization of all recreational drugs. [end]
Communities must take on bigger role in fight against drugs: RCMP RCMP are trying to tackle what they call a "disturbing trend" surrounding elaborate marijuana grow operations in Manitoba, after last year seizing enough pot plants to almost cover a football field. And after Mounties made 1,070 seizures of various kinds of illegal drugs last year in more than 200 Manitoba communities, including what assistant commissioner Bill Robinson describes as "fairly scary prescription drugs" as well as ecstasy and cocaine, the national police force says it's "probably just the tip of the iceberg." [continues 274 words]
I see the Liberals are looking to increase their attraction and what better way than to seek the pot vote. It's hard to understand why we would want to legalize marijuana after having spent how much time and money trying to get people to stop smoking cigarettes? It makes absolutely no sense. It is not a harmless substance and the argument that it is natural is just senseless. Opium is natural and I don't think we're in too big of a hurry to legalize that. We already have too many problems associated with alcohol to provide easy access to another drug. People tend to be rather stupid when they're stoned on pot and I say that having previously had years of personal experience with this drug. The typical effect - that you can't remember what you are talking about - doesn't bode well for the stoner behind the wheel of a car. So the Liberals may be desperate for votes but let's not kid ourselves, we don't need another problem to add to the alcohol and cigarette issues. Karen James But do we need the massive expense of enforcement? [end]
Gregory Schellenberg had already been approved to grow medicinal marijuana when police raided his Winnipeg home. Unfortunately for Schellenberg, he didn't have a licence to show police, as it was lost in the mail, a casualty of last summer's postal strike. Schellenberg pleaded guilty to one count of production of marijuana Tuesday and was fined $1,500. "He had a licence," said defence lawyer Greg Brodsky. "What he didn't anticipate was that it wouldn't come because of a postal strike." [continues 185 words]
Drug addicts in Vancouver's downtown east side now have the protection of the Supreme Court of Canada to avail themselves of a medical facility, the Insite clinic, where they may inject themselves with heroin under medical supervision. Now: What about drug addicts in the country's prisons? Can they expect the court's ruling to change the way they are treated? This is no academic question but one which the members of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Public Safety and Security may soon be seized. [continues 483 words]
Today let's separate the sensible opposition concerns about the Tories' omnibus crime bill from the absurd ones. It's legitimate for the opposition to ask why the Conservatives are determined to pass this huge bill within their totally artificial deadline of 100 sitting days since taking office, since they have a majority government and almost four years to do so. The problem with omnibus bills is that in attempting to jam a wide range of legislation into one document, they often result in legislative blunders that would not have occurred if the bills had been scrutinized separately. [continues 471 words]
Sitting in drug treatment court feels like a visit to the principal's office. Each week, two dozen program participants appear before Judge John Guy for a brief face-to-face talk and review of their progress. Like the best principals, Guy knows when one of his charges needs some words of encouragement or when it's time to get tough. "I view myself as part of the treatment team. I bring the carrot or I bring the stick," Guy said. [continues 311 words]
One can't make the same argument to prove opposing points. But Walter Cavalieri of the Canadian Harm Reduction Network tried. Cavalieri's argument, made on my Toronto radio show, is the war on drugs has not worked, so we need a different approach. He favours facilitating drug users with free needles and crack pipes along with medical assistance and supervision. But it seems that hasn't really worked either. How do we determine that the war on drugs has not worked? By the fact drugs are still readily available and many people are addicted to them? [continues 483 words]
A seven-year-old program that sees Winnipeg health officials hand out free crack-smoking kits to addicts could be reviewed if the Tories win October's provincial election. Ian Rabb, the Tory candidate in Fort Garry-Riverview and a former Addictions Foundation of Manitoba board member, said the Conservatives need more hard data about the program's success from the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority before agreeing to "subsidize addiction." "My concern is the WRHA is paying to subsidize addiction without any real benefit," said Rabb, an admitted former crystal meth addict himself. [continues 330 words]
Addicted to crack and living on the street, Glen Colton knew his life could go one of two ways. "I was lucky it took me to jail rather than the cemetery," Colton, 31, said in a recent interview. "When I was arrested I was almost relieved. I got a couple of good nights sleep and that really opened my eyes." It was in jail in 2007, charged with possession of crack for the purpose of trafficking, when Colton made a choice that finally set him on the road to a new life of sobriety and promise. Colton agreed to participate in the Winnipeg Drug Treatment Court program, a pilot project geared to steering drug addicts out of the justice system. [continues 446 words]
The federal Conservatives are taking a pre-emptive strike against an herbal hallucinogen that has garnered plenty of recent media attention thanks to a teen starlet. Salvia divinorum, a naturally occurring plant of the sage family which grows in southern Mexico, is most commonly ingested by smoking the leaves. Users of Salvia commonly experience a short-lasting high that can include hallucinations, uncontrollable laughter, lack of co-ordination and even loss of consciousness. Late last year, teen pop-star Miley Cyrus was forced to apologize to fans after she was shown in a video on Youtube taking a bong hit of Salvia before giggling uncontrollably and talking nonsensically. Glover said the move to criminalize Salvia had nothing to do with Cyrus. [continues 268 words]
OTTAWA - Where there's smoke, there's pot. And sometimes a Liberal flip-flop, too. Justice Minister Rob Nicholson came out swinging against the Grits Thursday for pulling their support of the government's proposed drug-trafficking bill, S-10. If passed, it would impose a minimum six-month prison sentence for anyone caught growing between six and 200 marijuana plants. Having supported an earlier identical bill that died when Parliament was prorogued in December 2009, the Liberals now say the bill fails to distinguish between young people who make a mistake and hardened gangsters who should be locked up. [continues 210 words]
By MARK BONOKOSKI, QMI Agency For Giff, once a well-known Toronto publicist and now retired to the country life, keeping his sexual orientation on the "down low" was never a concern. He was already "out" when being "out" was deemed courageous. When the Toronto cops launched Operation Soap in February 1981, and notoriously raided four gay bathhouses and arrested 300 men - then the largest mass arrest in Canada since the 1970 October Crisis - it was not alarming that Giff was one of the found-ins hauled off to a holding cell. [continues 465 words]
A 52-year-old man has been charged with arson after his alleged marijuana grow-op went up in flames. Winnipeg police say the blaze at the home in the 1600 block of Alexander was reported at 12 p.m. Oct. 18, causing about $180,000 damage but no injuries. Police say the fire was caused by overloaded and faulty wiring used to grow marijuana. WPS Const. Jason Michalyshen said the operation used costly equipment, including heat lamps. "There can be some pretty extravagant set-ups," Michalyshen said. [continues 76 words]
Re: Sparking debate, Nov. 23. The comments from MP Shelley Glover the other day in regards to marijuana are disgusting and obscene. As a federally licensed medical marijuana User, I find your party's attitude towards marijuana users insane, mean-spirited, and counterproductive. I would like to thank you, however, for bringing this issue into broad public discussion. The more people read and discuss the facts, the quicker they will see what a bunch of twisted, ideological, punishment-fetishists you Tories really are. [continues 97 words]
Re: Sparking debate, Nov. 24. Here's a simple solution. Legalize pot and sell it just like cigarettes. Tax it and put the same restrictions on "oetoking" publicly as you would on cigarettes. And of course there should still be rules as far as lighting up at work, I do agree you should only toke on your own time. As a "oetoker" and a "oesmoker" for many years, my personal goal is to quit smoking cigarettes. I have no personal goal to stop "oetoking." If weed wasn't illegal there would be no reason for criminal activity involved with it. Do you know how much money would be saved by not putting "oetokers" in jail? And for the comment "oewhat's next, cocaine, meth, ecstasy" you are completely and utterly comparing apples to oranges. Those drugs can kill you in if taken too much or mixed with substances. Or could kill you instantly. If anything alcohol should be an illegal substance, there are deaths everyday directly linked to alcohol consumption. Once again still no evidence of anyone dieing any day from inhaling weed. Legalize it, tax it and sell it. Lara Blue Wouldn't be a reason to jail anyone if nothing was illegal. [end]
If there is any wonder as to why Shelly Glover and Mike Sutherland support Conservative bill C-6 and it's mandatory prison sentences for cannabis offences, I can explain it in two words. Job security. Is it really surprising to anyone that people who earn their living from prohibition support more of it? Sutherland says that most cops recognize that possession of small amounts of marijuana is not the crime of the century, but unfortunately for thousands of Canadians who are charged every year, some do not. [continues 126 words]
