Weekly Narcotics Anonymous meeting being offered at Burin hospital

Stacey Johnson (not her real name) was in her mid-20s when she decided to attend a Narcotics Anonymous meeting for the first time.

"I remember exactly what I was wearing, and I remember exactly where I sat, and I was just waiting, trying to find the differences, any reason for me not to feel like I was part of this group," she told The Southern Gazette last week.

She stuck around for about two months but said ultimately she "just wasn't sick enough."

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Grand Falls-Windsor Facility To Take First Patients In June

With the new youth treatment centre in Grand Falls-Windsor getting ready to open its doors, Health and Community Services Minister Susan Sullivan was in town Monday to tour the $12.5 million facility and see what it will offer.

Divided up into three pods with four bedrooms each, the centre will be able to treat 12 youth at a time.

The facility is equipped with several observation and examination rooms as well as bedrooms, kitchen areas, a gymnasium, workout room, art room, and classrooms.

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Numbers Up More Than 50 Per Cent

Demand for the Aids Committee of Newfoundland and Labrador's needle-exchange program has increased considerably in the past two years, says its executive director.

"We are looking at a 50-60 per cent increase in two years," Gerard Yetman said.

"The program is not feasible as it is right now.

"The present program is not meeting the demand."

In 2011-12, the program distributed nearly 180,000 clean needles, but numbers have surpassed twice that amount, in part because it's become provincial.

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While 'Bootlegging' Is Still on the Radar, Illegal Drug Trade Now More of a Problem

It's been about a year since a shift in the RCMP at the federal policing level came into effect.

Before Apr. 1, 2013, federal units were identified and assigned to specific areas of mandate - customs and excise, drug enforcement or some other specialization.

Now, however, serious organized crime, in general, is the target, irrespective of the commodity.

For the Burin-based unit, in addition to how the it does business, the shift meant a name change from Customs and Excise to Federal Policing Operations West.

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Burin Peninsula District RCMP Staff Sergeant Wayne Edgecombe said 'youth involvement in crime' has been added as a divisional priority for the upcoming year.

Invited to meet with the Burin Peninsula Joint Town Council Wednesday evening, he acknowledged that doesn't necessarily mean just dealing with youths who have run afoul of the law, but also involves targeting how crime affects young people.

He explained in that regard, drugs and youth will be a big part of the annual policing plan.

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An editorial from the Prince George Citizen, published March 7:

It's comical to watch the federal Conservatives trip over themselves when it comes to their stance on marijuana.

On Wednesday, Tom (not his real name), a 65-year-old Prince George man who has been growing his own pot for medical purposes for the past three years, said he will follow the law on April 1 if the government goes ahead with its plans to take away his licence. He won't, however, turn to government-approved operators that produce a more expensive and less potent legal medical marijuana, he says. He'll just go to a street supplier to satisfy his needs.

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A St. John's man suffering from prostate cancer that had metastasized is crediting marijuana oil treatment with putting him on the mend.

"It makes me feel 20 years younger, that's what the marijuana oil does," said Paul Morrissey, adding he shovelled snow for three hours during the recent blizzard and blackout with no problems.

"There was pretty ferocious wind and snow. I came out of it looking like a walking popsicle. However after all that work and so forth I was in excellent condition. Even without cancer, I wouldn't suspect I'd last that long or do that well."

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ST. JOHN'S - A St. John's man suffering from prostate cancer that had metastasized is crediting marijuana oil treatment with putting him on the mend.

"It makes me feel 20 years younger, that's what the marijuana oil does," said Paul Morrissey, adding he shovelled snow for three hours during the recent blizzard and blackout with no problems.

Morrissey's prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood levels have improved dramatically and there has been some regression in his lymph nodes and abdomen, said his family physician, Dr. Randy Hart, who was given permission to speak about his patient's case. Hart can't say if the unorthodox treatment helped.

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A new draft policy on drug and alcohol abuse for the City of St. John's takes its cue from oil sands companies.

Kevin Breen, the city's director of human resources, presented the draft policy to the city's finance and administration standing committee meeting Tuesday afternoon, saying the new policy is the result of requests from managers looking for more guidance on how to handle employees who abuse drugs and alcohol in the workplace.

"We do encounter it," said Breen. "But a lot of supervisors are not really confident in knowing what to do in these situations." So this gets into really good detail, and there will be a full training program with this policy as well."

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In the months since Rob Ford's political troubles became the most over-reported story of the year, a Washington, D.C., sports talk radio show called "The Sports Junkies" has become the source of some of the Toronto mayor's most candid opinions on current events and politics.

After being stripped of most of his mayoral duties last November, Ford began making regular appearances on the show.

While on the air last week, he voiced his views on the potential for government revenue through decriminalizing marijuana.

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According to a 2012 Atlantic Student Drug Use Survey of junior and high school students, almost half of the students surveyed in Newfoundland and Labrador had not used any substances in the previous year, a significant improvement from past survey results.

The findings from this survey will be used to inform policies, programs and future campaigns, and will help to identify important opportunities to create awareness and promote prevention of substance use among youth.

"The survey results provide valuable insights into the behaviour of youth, and although there are some encouraging trends, it is imperative that we work with parents, schools and students, in particular, to create awareness of the pitfalls of substance use," said the Honourable Susan Sullivan, Minister of Health and Community Services.

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Student Drug Use Survey Results Are Out for First Time Since 2007

The Student Drug Use Survey is completed irregularly, roughly once every three or four years, and is meant to provide a snapshot view of alcohol use, drug use and high-risk activities by young people in the province.

The latest results were released Wednesday by the provincial government and show a lower overall number of students who - presented with questions with the promise of anonymity - said they used any illegal substances in the year prior to the survey.

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Panel denies Crown's application to have $6,500 held until drug case appeal

The Crown's attempt to allow police to keep money and the passport of a British Columbia man who had been arrested on drug charges has been denied.

In a decision handed down recently in St. John's, the Newfoundland and Labrador Court of Appeal has ordered that police give back all Julian Strongitharm's property, including his wallet, passport and $6,500, which had been seized from his knapsack.

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Earlier this month, the federal government indicated it would be stepping up security on the VIA rail system, in the wake of bomb plot earlier this year.

Now, anyone who wants to travel on VIA Rail, will be subject to security checks equivalent to the standard at any major airport in Canada.

Since we're on the subject of national security, it's time for the Canadian government to also review other transportation systems where security is lacking, or non-existent; such as the Marine Atlantic ferries.

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Earlier this month, the federal government said it would be stepping up security on the VIA rail system, in the wake of bomb plot earlier this year. Now, anyone who wants to travel on VIA Rail, will be subject to security checks equivalent to that at Canada's major airports.

Since we're on the subject of national security, it's time for the Canadian government to review other transportation systems where security is lacking, or non-existent; such as Marine Atlantic ferries.

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Last week, the federal government indicated it would be stepping up security on the VIA rail system, in the wake of bomb plot earlier this year.

Now, anyone who wants to travel on VIA Rail, will be subject to security checks equivalent to the standard at any major airport in Canada.

Since we're on the subject of national security, it's time for the Canadian government to also review other transportation systems where security is lacking, or non-existent; such as the Marine Atlantic ferries.

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Earlier this week, the federal government indicated it would be stepping up security on the VIA rail system, in the wake of bomb plot earlier this year.

Now, anyone who wants to travel on VIA Rail, will be subject to security checks equivalent to the standard at any major airport in Canada.

Since we're on the subject of national security, it's time for the Canadian government to also review other transportation systems where security is lacking, or non-existent; such as the Marine Atlantic ferries.

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An editorial from the Hamilton Spectator, published July 29: Is Justin Trudeau going to far too fast by embracing the legalization, taxation and regulation of marijuana?

On one level, no, because his party adopted legalization back in 2012. Trudeau was skeptical at the time, preferring to take the incremental step of decriminalization. Recently, he changed his mind, saying he has given the matter much thought and attention, and now favours legalization.

Don't panic. What he actually said was: "a I realized that going the road of legalization is actually a responsible thing to look at and do." That's a recognition of the fact that not only does Trudeau first need to get an electoral mandate, but also that there would be numerous challenges to overcome before outright legalization could be accomplished. We're talking years. Trudeau also knows legalization will be a killer campaign issue in conservative strongholds.

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Sources Say Supreme Court Ruling Not an Issue for Local Operators

For the most part, workers at offshore oil installations and those busy building the Hebron gravity based structure at the Bull Arm fabrication site are not being subjected to random drug and alcohol testing.

The Telegram asked about the issue in response to a recent Supreme Court of Canada ruling. The ruling was in relation to a dispute between Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Local 30 and Irving Pulp and Paper Ltd. and spoke specifically to previous decisions in the case from arbitrators and the lower courts.

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The rate of success is poor, the nature of the work often frustrating and the paperwork required under new rules is daunting.

But the reward is the amazing transformation of those who are helped by methadone, says Dr. Jeff White, who has been administering the program as part of his family practice for several years.

Methadone -- which reduces drug cravings and opiate withdrawal while blocking euphoria -- is used to treat addiction to opiates like OxyContin. Doctors who administer methadone maintenance therapy must obtain a special exemption. There are only a handful who provide the service in the St. John's area.

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