Now that marijuana is legal in California, people don't have to hide their marijuana use -- in fact, some are smoking it right in officers' faces. But these pot smokers aren't being brazen. They're actually helping police better detect impaired drivers on the road, CBS Los Angeles reported. Glendale police Officer Bryan Duncan told the news station that about 75 percent of the DUI arrests he makes these days are drug impaired -- "more cannabis than alcohol." A group of smokers recently gathered at a hotel where they were first given field sobriety tests, and then allowed to start smoking marijuana, Inside Edition reported. They later took sobriety tests for a second time to judge how the drug affected their mental and motor skill, the news outlet said. [continues 349 words]
The ongoing effort in the Senate to derail the passage of the Liberal government's bill to legalize marijuana is not an exercise in sober second thought, as its Conservative proponents claim, but an attempt to obstruct democracy. The Trudeau government should use the tools at its disposal to push this important legislation through the Upper House. Bill C-45, the Cannabis Act, and C-46, which would tighten rules on impaired driving related to marijuana use, have been before the Senate since the Commons passed them in late November. And they may languish there forever if the government does not invoke so-called time allocation, a tool for curtailing debate that the Liberals have largely eschewed. [continues 491 words]
Political pressure on the state Cannabis Control Commission intensified Thursday, as Attorney General Maura Healey and 78 state legislators joined Governor Charlie Baker in pressing the independent agency to roll out a more limited recreational marijuana industry this summer. In letters sent at the close of a public comment period on the commission's draft rules for pot companies, Healey and the lawmakers urged cannabis regulators to delay their provisional plans to license marijuana cafes, delivery services that don't also operate a physical storefront, and "mixed-use" businesses such as art galleries and theaters that want to sell cannabis on the side. [continues 450 words]
Surrey mulls over 'missteps' from U.S. cities that have legalized marijuana Surrey Mayor Linda Hepner says the city has developed a "balanced, appropriate and evidence-based approach" in preparing for the expected passing of the Trudeau government's Bill C45 Cannabis Act this coming July. "Like all governments, the City of Surrey must determine the changes needed to ensure an effective response to cannabis legalization," Hepner said. "Our report was prepared following a comprehensive review of best practices in jurisdictions of the United States with legal recreational cannabis markets. Council and I have directed staff to implement the necessary steps outlined in the framework over the coming months." [continues 630 words]
Forces try out 'marijuana simulation kits' The Canadian Forces is buying kits that will let its leaders experience what it's like to be stoned on marijuana. The "marijuana simulation kits" will include "marijuana impairment goggles," among other i tems. The Canadian Forces wants to acquire 26 of the kits by April 30 or sooner if possible. "The purpose of the Marijuana Simulation Kits is to raise awareness of marijuana impairment, reduce risk of marijuana impairment, and promote healthy lifestyles within the Canadian Armed Forces," companies who want to bid on the contract were told. "The marijuana impairment goggles, which is one of the several items included in the Marijuana Simulation Kit, allows users to experience first-hand, the deficits marijuana creates on the body." [continues 291 words]
Coming soon to a storefront near you: a cannabis shop. The provincial government has brought down the latest of many new regulations as the date for legalization approaches. After much debate and much reading of tea leaves, the government says that legalized recreational marijuana will be sold at stand-alone stores, some run by private operators and others by the Liquor Distribution Branch. The distribution branch will be the wholesaler, and all will be overseen by the Liquor Control and Licensing Branch. [continues 548 words]
New Study: Fatal collisions involving young drivers increase by 38 per cent after pot-smoking celebrations The risk of a fatal accident among young drivers spikes by 38 per cent in the hours after 4/20 celebrations, according to new research from UBC and the University of Toronto. The finding suggests that mass marijuana celebrations may not be entirely without consequences. John Staples, a professor of medicine and researcher at UBC's Centre for Health Evaluation and Outcome Sciences, said people aged 20 and younger had a much higher risk of a fatal crash on April 20 from 4:20 p.m. until midnight compared to the same period one week before and one week after. [continues 377 words]
Regina hopes to get share of revenue to cover its expenses Regina city councillors now know their options on cannabis, after administration handed them a report on how the city can prepare for legalization - and how much it's likely to cost police. The Regina Police Service is pegging the added expense of policing a legal weed system at somewhere between $1.2 million and $1.8 million. That's only a rough guess, based on forecasts from other police forces in Canada. [continues 415 words]
The country's biggest airlines, train and trucking firms, construction companies and transit authorities are urging the government to allow them to conduct mandatory drug tests for key members of their work forces. The issue of testing is currently in front of the Senate, where two bills are being studied: C-45 to legalize cannabis by the summer, and C-46 to make it easier for law-enforcement authorities to crack down on impaired driving. Ottawa wants C-46 to be adopted before the prohibition on cannabis is lifted to deal with the potential consequences of increased consumption. Among other things, the legislation will create new drug-impaired driving offences and make it easier for police to conduct random roadside tests for alcohol. [continues 636 words]
Only 32 per cent of respondents favour restrictions like those on smoking It's not like tobacco and those who want to treat it like tobacco are probably the ones who want to smoke it anywhere. More than half of Calgarians believe the way public consumption of cannabis is regulated and enforced should more closely resemble controls on drinking alcohol than those on smoking tobacco. That's according to the city's Cannabis Research Combined Study, prepared by Environics Research and released Friday. [continues 844 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]
Liberals insist recreational marijuana will be legal in July OTTAWA - The Trudeau government insists it's on track to legalize recreational pot in July - but whether that means it will actually be on sale by then is uncertain. Health Minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor told senators Tuesday that provinces and territories have indicated once Bill C-45, the legislation setting up a legal cannabis regime, is given royal assent, they'll need another eight to 12 weeks to prepare for retail sales. [continues 583 words]
There is much to praise in the B.C. government's new retail regulatory regime for recreational cannabis. But there are also a few oddities that suggest Victoria hasn't moved beyond reefer madness as far as we thought. Handing responsibility for licensing and oversight of private pot shops to the Liquor Control and Licensing Branch seems a prudent move to ensure an orderly transition of store fronts operating outside the law to legal status. Allowing the B.C. Liquor Distribution Branch to operate a stand-alone network of its own outlets mirrors the successful approach of selling wine in B.C. through private and public retail outlets. [continues 298 words]
Province's system heeds advice of public-health experts, but substances won't be sold together in single outlet British Columbia will create a retail system for recreational cannabis that is almost identical to the one for alcohol, but like most other provinces, will not allow the two substances to be sold together in private or public stores once Ottawa legalizes marijuana this summer. Solicitor-General Mike Farnworth released more details for the province's legal cannabis framework on Monday. He noted that his NDP government heeded the advice of the country's top public health experts to ban the sales of cannabis next to alcohol. The province's biggest public unions had pushed for co-location, which only Nova Scotia and the Northwest Territories have approved. However, it will be legal in some rural areas, just as the province now allows alcohol to be sold next to tobacco in special cases, he added. [continues 496 words]
Recreational marijuana will be sold in a network of stand-alone stores overseen by the province's liquor regulator, according to rules announced Monday by the B.C. government. Public health officials had warned against selling cannabis and alcohol in the same place, which is advice the province took seriously, said Mike Farnworth, minister of public safety and solicitor general. When federal law makes recreational pot legal in July, there will be both privately run and government-operated cannabis shops. They will not be allowed to sell alcohol, tobacco, clothes, gas or lottery tickets, although exceptions will be made for pot shops in rural areas. [continues 938 words]
Three federal ministers are set to defend their government's plans to legalize cannabis in the Senate amid widespread concerns over Ottawa's ability to crack down on drug-impaired driving once the recreational market opens up later this year. The Senate is currently studying two bills, C-45 and C-46, that respectively will lift the prohibition on the recreational consumption of marijuana and create new drug-impaired driving offences. On Tuesday afternoon, the federal ministers of Justice, Health and Public Safety will appear at a special session of the Senate to answer questions about the plan to legalize cannabis for recreational use by all adults by July 1. [continues 586 words]
The provincial government on Monday unveiled a set of retail rules for recreational cannabis that paves the way for a new network of stand-alone stores operated by the B.C. Liquor Distribution Branch but leaves an opening for existing medical-pot dispensaries to legitimize. However, municipalities will be left with the authority to block any storefront sales of marijuana if they oppose it, Solicitor General Mike Farnworth said in unveiling the regulatory framework. The retail framework, to be in place for legalization of recreational cannabis by July 1, will allow for online and storefront sales but restrict bricks-and-mortar commerce to stand-alone stores that don't sell liquor, tobacco, food or other products. [continues 631 words]
Sometimes so little is going through my head that if Ralph were to say something, I'd actually have room to listen to him. Those few times that's happened also seems to be my week to write an article which then leaves me scrambling. Other times, I start the article only to be sideswiped by some event making me set it aside and start over. Such as todays. I am an old fogey when it comes to the decriminalization of marijuana. [continues 777 words]
Legal weed worries employers WINNIPEG * Once recreational marijuana becomes legal, Garnet Amundson says it will get a lot harder to find the workers he needs at Essential Energy Services Ltd. And he isn't the only employer who's worried. Essential Energy provides services to oil and natural gas drillers across Canada, and its employees handle volatile chemicals, operate heavy equipment and work with high-pressure pipes and valves. In short, it can be a dangerous job if safety procedures aren't followed to the letter. That's why the Calgary-based company only hires people who pass a drug test. [continues 981 words]
