RSS 2.0RSS 1.0 Inside British Columbia
Found: 200Shown: 51-100Page: 2/4
Detail: Low  Medium  High   Pages: [<< Prev]  1  2  3  4  [Next >>]  Sort:Latest

51CN BC: Tofino Mulls Restrictions On Pot Shop LocationsSat, 10 Feb 2018
Source:Victoria Times-Colonist (CN BC) Author:DeRosa, Katie Area:British Columbia Lines:Excerpt Added:02/14/2018

Town wants 'cautious' approach; hearing on Tuesday

With cannabis legalization just months away, the District of Tofino is considering a bylaw that would heavily restrict where pot shops can operate in the community.

A public hearing is set for Tuesday. People will be able to weigh in on the proposed bylaw, which would "prohibit the use of any land, building or structure for the sale, production or distribution of cannabis," according to a notice of public hearing on the district's website.

[continues 340 words]

52 CN BC: Column: NDPs Pot Sales Plan Is WeakWed, 14 Feb 2018
Source:Penticton Herald (CN BC) Author:Godbout, Neil Area:British Columbia Lines:111 Added:02/14/2018

In an interview with The Citizen last April during the 2017 provincial election, NDP leader John Horgan admitted that government and politicians are behind public sentiment when it comes to marijuana.

Knowing it and saying it is one thing but Horgan, now the premier, still seems reluctant to act on it, based on the additional details on a provincial pot policy the NDP government announced Monday that will take effect once marijuana is legalized later this year.

"Some may think that this work will end in July when non-medical cannabis is legalized by the federal government," Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth said. "But the truth is our government will be dealing with this significant change in policy for years to come."

[continues 640 words]

53 CN BC: Bringing The Underground Cannabis Trade Into The LightWed, 14 Feb 2018
Source:Globe and Mail (Canada) Author:Hager, Mike Area:British Columbia Lines:184 Added:02/14/2018

Vancouver won't grant pot-shop licences to people with ties to illegal drugs, but critics urge reconsideration

Rocco Dipopolo is an entrepreneur juggling three businesses - a tattoo parlour, a gym and a boxing clinic - in East Vancouver, an area of hipster coffee shops and chic duplexes that the 46-year-old remembers as gritty during his delinquent adolescence.

Until recently, he also owned an illegal cannabis dispensary in the city's trendy Commercial Drive neighbourhood. He had to step away from that venture in order for it to secure a coveted business licence from the City of Vancouver.

[continues 1336 words]

54CN BC: Editorial: Going Carefully On Pot RulesTue, 13 Feb 2018
Source:Victoria Times-Colonist (CN BC)          Area:British Columbia Lines:Excerpt Added:02/13/2018

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]

55CN BC: Column: Legal Pot Puts People At Risk On The RoadsTue, 13 Feb 2018
Source:Province, The (CN BC) Author:Stirling, John G. Area:British Columbia Lines:Excerpt Added:02/13/2018

Comment: Feds should pump the brakes and rethink its token gesture on safety

We're only seven weeks into the new year and already there are three major hurdles on the trucking industry's plate. The legalization of marijuana, the electronic logging devices (ELD) and either the total cancellation or just a fine-tuning of the North American Free Trade Agreement.

That's more than enough for the trucking industry to swallow, so let me try to shed a little light on each of the three.

[continues 647 words]

56CN BC: 'Dramatic' Spike In Crashes On 4/20Tue, 13 Feb 2018
Source:Province, The (CN BC) Author:Shore, Randy Area:British Columbia Lines:Excerpt Added:02/13/2018

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]

57 CN BC: Criminal Records Could Sink Pot EntrepreneursThu, 08 Feb 2018
Source:Georgia Straight, The (CN BC) Author:Lupick, Travis Area:British Columbia Lines:122 Added:02/12/2018

An unusual aspect of Canada's soon-to-be-legal cannabis market is that the activists who led the legalization movement may find themselves excluded from the industry for which their efforts paved the way.

Vancouver activists like Jodie and Marc Emery and dispensary pioneer Don Briere, for example, have criminal records for possessing and selling marijuana. Now those criminal records could be used against them in federal and provincial licensing systems that are under development to decide who gets to cultivate and sell recreational cannabis.

[continues 769 words]

58 CN BC: LTE: An Open Letter To The PMFri, 09 Feb 2018
Source:Morning Star, The (CN BC) Author:Bachman, Kathy Area:British Columbia Lines:61 Added:02/12/2018

Dear Prime Minister Trudeau: I was wondering why you bother traveling all over the planet to climate change conventions to save the world from pollution but remain willing to return home and pass a bill that will cause our whole country to become polluted everywhere with the stinking, cloying smell of marijuana?

That is OK for all you people who can afford a single-family dwelling where you can retreat, close the door and ignore the stink of the irritating smoke. But those of us who live in apartments, condos or other connected housing units aren't able to do that, leaving us at the mercy of our neighbours. Now we can at least, if someone is polluting our apartment building, phone the police and get help to stop the culprits.

[continues 316 words]

59 CN BC: Changing The Public Discourse On AddictionFri, 09 Feb 2018
Source:Kelowna Capital News (CN BC) Author:Gerding, Barry Area:British Columbia Lines:79 Added:02/12/2018

To fight the opioid epidemic will take altering people's thoughts around drug abuse

The way people feel about drug addiction has evolved significantly since the outbreak of the fentanyl crisis.

But the shift from viewing addiction as a moral problem to treating it like any other health issue is a work in progress, says Rae Samson, a substance abuse worker at Interior Health.

"I'm not sure if we are a generation away from making that shift, but a lot of work has been dedicated to that purpose in the past 20 years with tremendous gains. But there have been really rapid gains since the opioid crisis began," Samson said.

[continues 391 words]

60CN BC: Edible Cannabis Products Too Much For Some UsersThu, 08 Feb 2018
Source:Vancouver Sun (CN BC) Author:Fayerman, Pamela Area:British Columbia Lines:Excerpt Added:02/12/2018

Overwhelming 'delayed symptoms' once again a worry as 4/20 event nears

Calls to the B.C. Drug and Poison Information Centre have surged on the annual 4/20 cannabis event in Vancouver in recent years, according to a report by provincial health officials.

"The 4/20 cannabis calls represent a real spike, way over what we see on ordinary days," said Dr. Tom Kosatsky, medical director of environmental health services for the B.C. Centre for Disease Control.

He acknowledged that the total number of calls remains small, but is nevertheless growing. His report is published in the current B.C. Medical Journal.

[continues 614 words]

61 CN BC: Editorial: NDP's Pot Sales Plan WeakThu, 08 Feb 2018
Source:Prince George Citizen (CN BC)          Area:British Columbia Lines:115 Added:02/12/2018

In an interview with The Citizen last April during the 2017 provincial election, NDP leader John Horgan admitted that government and politicians are behind public sentiment when it comes to marijuana. Knowing it and saying it is one thing but Horgan, now the premier, still seems reluctant to act on it, based on the additional details on a provincial pot policy the NDP government announced Monday that will take effect once marijuana is legalized later this year.

"Some may think that this work will end in July when non-medical cannabis is legalized by the federal government," Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth said. "But the truth is our government will be dealing with this significant change in policy for years to come."

[continues 652 words]

62 CN BC: Editorial: No Easy Answers For Drug CrisisWed, 07 Feb 2018
Source:Abbotsford News (CN BC)          Area:British Columbia Lines:50 Added:02/12/2018

There was some good news out of the report the B.C. Coroners Service released Jan. 31, that overdose deaths declined in the last quarter of 2017 compared to 2016.

There were 99 deaths last December, compared to 164 the previous year. But that's about all the good news. Overall, 2017 was the deadliest year for overdose deaths B.C. has ever seen, with 1,422 deaths compared to 914 in 2016.

In the majority of those deaths - 81 per cent - the synthetic opioid fentanyl played a part. That's an increase over 2016 again, when the figure was estimated at 67 per cent. That many deaths makes you question just how much fentanyl is in circulation, and how many other overdoses there were that didn't result in death, thanks to naloxone or other lifesaving measures.

[continues 199 words]

63CN BC: Municipalities Welcome Role In Deciding Where To Locate PotThu, 08 Feb 2018
Source:Province, The (CN BC) Author:Saltman, Jennifer Area:British Columbia Lines:Excerpt Added:02/12/2018

Municipalities across Metro Vancouver are considering their options when it comes to allowing legal cannabis retailers in their communities, following the release of new provincial policy around licensing.

This week, the B.C. government said that under its proposed framework for the retail sales of non-medical cannabis, residents aged 19 and older will be able to buy cannabis through privately run or government-operated retail stores and online through the government once it is legalized in July.

The Liquor Distribution Branch will operate public retail stores and the Liquor Control and Licensing Branch will license and monitor private stores.

[continues 511 words]

64 CN BC: Civil Forfeiture Violates Charter, Case ArguesMon, 12 Feb 2018
Source:Globe and Mail (Canada) Author:Dhillon, Sunny Area:British Columbia Lines:107 Added:02/12/2018

British Columbia's civil forfeiture regime violates the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms by forcing individuals to produce evidence against themselves and by resulting in penalties that are grossly disproportionate, says a new constitutional challenge.

The case, which will proceed to trial in B.C. Supreme Court in November, stems from a 2015 police search of a multi-million-dollar home on Vancouver's west side that turned up hundreds of marijuana plants. It is expected to be the second constitutional case involving B.C.'s Civil Forfeiture Office heard this year; a case involving the Hells Angels is scheduled for April.

[continues 672 words]

65 CN BC: Cannabis: City Asks For Public FeedbackWed, 07 Feb 2018
Source:Nelson Star (CN BC) Author:Harper, Tyler Area:British Columbia Lines:104 Added:02/09/2018

Forms are being sent out to households and businesses this month

City staff have set an aggressive timetable for public debate over the future of cannabis sales and consumption in Nelson ahead of federal legalization this summer.

Feedback forms are set to be sent the week of Feb. 12 to every household and business within city limits. The survey, which needs to be returned to City Hall by Feb. 28, will be used by staff and council to help draft regulations in March.

[continues 618 words]

66 CN BC: Column: Privacy Policy On Overdoses PerplexingWed, 07 Feb 2018
Source:Nelson Star (CN BC) Author:Poignant, Gary Area:British Columbia Lines:103 Added:02/09/2018

The province's opioid crisis is truly frightening.

The death totals for 2017, released last week, are record-shattering - with 1,422 dead in B.C., including 200 in the Interior Health region and 19 in the Kootenay Boundary region.

About four out of five who died were male and almost nine out of 10 deaths occurred indoors.

The powerful opioid fentanyl was detected in 81 per cent of last year's deaths compared to about 67 per cent in 2016.

[continues 626 words]

67 CN BC: PUB LTE: The Plight Of The DispensariesWed, 07 Feb 2018
Source:Daily Courier, The (CN BC) Author:Fiddler, Darrin LR Area:British Columbia Lines:68 Added:02/09/2018

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]

68CN BC: Column: B.C. Cannabis Regulations Miss The Mark And TheWed, 07 Feb 2018
Source:Vancouver Sun (CN BC) Author:Mulgrew, Ian Area:British Columbia Lines:Excerpt Added:02/09/2018

A Green Gold Rush gets a wet blanket from a Father Knows Best government

It should embrace the employment opportunities, the tourism potential, the joie de vivre with which California has legalized.

The provincial government's initial plan for marijuana legalization must have been put together by spoilsports and dour Mrs. Grundies. It's tone-deaf.

B.C. Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth "sounded like the Grinch Who Stole Christmas unveiling details of the province's blueprint for cannabis," Ian Mulgrew writes.

[continues 797 words]

69 CN BC: Legalization Will Make Illegal Dispensaries Easier To CloseWed, 07 Feb 2018
Source:Globe and Mail (Canada) Author:Hager, Mike Area:British Columbia Lines:103 Added:02/09/2018

Communities across British Columbia will have an easier time shutting down illegal marijuana dispensaries after the drug is legalized this summer and a provincial body is put in charge of making sure businesses comply with the new retail rules, according to the architect of Vancouver's landmark marijuana bylaw.

The province's solicitor-general released details this week about how recreational cannabis will be sold in B.C. The system will be almost identical to the one for alcohol, allowing a mix of private or public stores to sell the substance - with the support of their local bureaucrats - once federal drug laws change this summer.

[continues 678 words]

70CN BC: Editorial: Mixed Marks On Pot PlanFri, 09 Feb 2018
Source:Vancouver Sun (CN BC)          Area:British Columbia Lines:Excerpt Added:02/09/2018

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]

71CN BC: Editorial: Pot Jobs MoneyFri, 09 Feb 2018
Source:Tri-City News (Port Coquitlam, CN BC)          Area:British Columbia Lines:Excerpt Added:02/09/2018

But one aspect that is not well known is how much the change will add or subtract to the economy. Statistics Canada is as yet unable to quantify the impact and expects to have more information by 2019 but Deloitte in 2016 produced a report suggesting the industry could be worth between $5 billion and $9 billion in goods in services.

Of course, price and the willingness of consumers to switch to legal marijuana sources are key considerations.

But there must be something to be said about future job opportunities in sales, analysis, finance, licensing and security. In other words, the lure of working for a gang's dial-a-dope operation - and getting shot at - may be replaced by a good job with benefits.

[continues 77 words]

72CN BC: $20m To Aid B.C. First Nations Battling OD CrisisFri, 09 Feb 2018
Source:Victoria Times-Colonist (CN BC) Author:Harnett, Cindy E. Area:British Columbia Lines:Excerpt Added:02/09/2018

B.C. has announced $20 million over three years for First Nations communities struggling with the drug-overdose crisis that's disproportionately affecting Indigenous communities.

The funding will be administered by the First Nations Health Authority, which delivers services in partnership with First Nations communities. It is part of $322 million announced in last September's budget update.

About 1,400 people died of illicit drug overdoses in the province last year, according to the B.C. Coroners Service.

Indigenous people are five times more likely to experience an overdose than the general population and die at a rate three times greater, said Judy Darcy, minister of mental health and addictions.

[continues 426 words]

73 CN BC: Recreational Cannabis Will Mirror Alcohol Model, GovernmentTue, 06 Feb 2018
Source:Globe and Mail (Canada) Author:Hager, Mike Area:British Columbia Lines:89 Added:02/07/2018

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]

74CN BC: Pot Rules: Stand-Alone Stores Only Cities Get SayTue, 06 Feb 2018
Source:Victoria Times-Colonist (CN BC) Author:DeRosa, Katie Area:British Columbia Lines:Excerpt Added:02/07/2018

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]

75CN BC: Column: Legal Cannabis Won't Come Cheap In B.C.Tue, 06 Feb 2018
Source:Victoria Times-Colonist (CN BC) Author:Leyne, Les Area:British Columbia Lines:Excerpt Added:02/07/2018

The B.C. government has barred the sale of "snacks" in all the new retail marijuana shops that will start opening legally this summer.

Only cannabis and cannabis accessories will be on the shelves, which overlooks the fact that snacks are the No. 1 cannabis accessory. They go together like alcohol and fist fights.

The prohibition is one of several details Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth released Monday. Countless more will come out in the next few months before the new era of legal cannabis arrives in Canada on July 1. Farnworth said the government's adaptation will carry on for a long time after that. And a lot of the further details will involve municipal governments, which have significant say in shaping the retail landscape and have been grappling with how to do so.

[continues 543 words]

76 CN BC: B.C. Cities Can Just Say No To Pot ShopsTue, 06 Feb 2018
Source:Metro (Vancouver, CN BC) Author:Vikander, Tessa Area:British Columbia Lines:138 Added:02/07/2018

'Authority' included in new guidelines

According to the province's latest cannabis retail laws, announced Monday in Victoria, city governments - such as Richmond - will be able to decide whether to allow pot shops.

In the lead up to the federal government's July 1 marijuana legalization deadline, the province's new guidelines lay out rules for who can sell recreational cannabis where and when.

At a Feb. 5 press conference, Minister of Public Safety, Mike Farnworth, said municipalities would have "the authority to make local decisions, based on the needs of their communities."

[continues 781 words]

77CN BC: B.C. Says It Won't Force Pot Sales 'Down...Throats'Tue, 06 Feb 2018
Source:Vancouver Sun (CN BC) Author:Penner, Derrick Area:British Columbia Lines:Excerpt Added:02/07/2018

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]

78CN BC: Downtown Eastside Crackdown Could Have Harmful Side EffectsMon, 05 Feb 2018
Source:Vancouver Sun (CN BC) Author:Eagland, Nick Area:British Columbia Lines:Excerpt Added:02/07/2018

Some fear increased police presence will drive drug users to avoid health services

While Vancouver police proclaim victory in a recent crackdown on crime in the Downtown Eastside, some locals fear the boost in beat cops is pushing people who use drugs into harm's way.

Last week, Vancouver police increased foot patrols to address "street disorder" and prevent violence. Police said the sweeps came in response to a surge in complaints from residents, business owners and visitors. As well, people with mobility issues and the elderly have complained about blocked sidewalks and doorways.

[continues 621 words]

79CN BC: 'Grey Market' In Limbo As Legal Pot ApproachesMon, 05 Feb 2018
Source:National Post (Canada) Author:Kane, Laura Area:British Columbia Lines:Excerpt Added:02/07/2018

If it wasn't for the scent, customers who wandered into Eden Medicinal Society would be forgiven for thinking they had entered a boutique health store rather than a marijuana dispensary.

The distinctive fragrance greets shoppers at the door. It wafts from jars filled with bright green British Columbia bud lining spotless glass shelves. Flat-screen monitors on gleaming white walls display prices of golden hemp flower paste and mocha THC syrup.

Behind the counter stands Vanessa Dandurand, the 30- year-old store manager with an encyclopedic knowledge of cannabis and many dedicated return customers.

[continues 885 words]

80CN BC: Lawyer: Lawsuits Over Pot, Instead Of Busts, A Step ForwardSat, 03 Feb 2018
Source:Victoria Times-Colonist (CN BC) Author:Watts, Richard Area:British Columbia Lines:Excerpt Added:02/06/2018

Civil lawsuits over cannabis sales, such as the one the City of Victoria won last week, are part of a new, civilized approach to pot, says a B.C. lawyer,

"At least in British Columbia, we have evolved to the point where the response is not to just send in the police," Kirk Tousaw said. "We now take [cannabis sellers] through the normal civil litigation process that you would use with any non-compliant business."

Tousaw has spoken on Canada's marijuana laws before the Supreme Court of Canada and argued on behalf of clients from New Brunswick to B.C. He has also represented Ted Smith, Victoria's longtime cannabis crusader.

[continues 240 words]

81CN BC: Licensed Stores Hope For Spot In New Pot RegimeFri, 02 Feb 2018
Source:Vancouver Sun (CN BC) Author:Kane, Laura Area:British Columbia Lines:Excerpt Added:02/05/2018

Existing dispensaries could transition to legal market with supply deals intact

If it wasn't for the scent, customers who wandered into Eden Medicinal Society would be forgiven for thinking they had entered a boutique health store rather than a marijuana dispensary.

The distinctive fragrance greets shoppers at the door. It wafts from jars filled with bright green B.C. bud lining spotless glass shelves. Flatscreen monitors on gleaming white walls display prices of golden hemp flower paste and mocha THC syrup.

[continues 861 words]

82 CN BC: Fentanyl Found In 237 Study ParticipantsFri, 02 Feb 2018
Source:Globe and Mail (Canada) Author:Woo, Andrea Area:British Columbia Lines:85 Added:02/05/2018

Opioid drug use findings raise concerns about effectiveness of substitution treatment

A study of drug use in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside concluded with 100 per cent of participants who used illicit opioids testing positive for fentanyl, raising concerns that higher opioid tolerance from the powerful synthetic drug could threaten the effectiveness of substitution treatment.

The five-month study, led by University of British Columbia psychiatry professor William Honer, involved 237 high-risk participants. Of those, about half used opioids, either prescribed (such as methadone and buprenorphine) or nonprescribed (such as illicit heroin). Severe mental-health issues also played a significant role: About half had psychosis and one-third had mood disorders, illnesses that increase the likelihood of using illicit drugs.

[continues 459 words]

83CN BC: 'Most Tragic Year Ever' In B.C. Brings Push To DecriminalizeThu, 01 Feb 2018
Source:Victoria Times-Colonist (CN BC) Author:DeRosa, Katie Area:British Columbia Lines:Excerpt Added:02/03/2018

Last year was "the most tragic year ever" for illicit drug overdose deaths in B.C., prompting public health officials to push for the decriminalization of opioid possession and consumption to address the fentanyl epidemic.

In 2017, 1,422 people died of illicit drug overdose deaths, up from 993 in 2016, chief coroner Lisa Lapointe said Wednesday.

Victoria had the highest number of overdose deaths on Vancouver Island with 91, behind Vancouver (358) and Surrey (174).

Lapointe said the epidemic in B.C. is "related to uncontrolled illicit fentanyl."

[continues 667 words]

84 CN BC: Vancouver Blazes Psychedelic Research TrailThu, 01 Feb 2018
Source:Georgia Straight, The (CN BC) Author:Lupick, Travis Area:British Columbia Lines:373 Added:02/03/2018

Decades after Canada abandoned the field, the B.C. Centre on Substance Use is investigating the benefits of drugs like MDMA and psilocybin

In 2011, Gerald Thomas was invited to an Indigenous community in a remote area of British Columbia. Working for the Centre for Addictions Research of B.C., he was one of a small team of scientists who observed 12 people take ayahuasca, an Amazonian mixture that induces vivid visual and auditory hallucinations as well as deep emotional and intellectual reflection.

[continues 2903 words]

85 CN BC: Overdose Toll 150 In Valley Last YearThu, 01 Feb 2018
Source:Daily Courier, The (CN BC) Author:Peacock, Andrea Area:British Columbia Lines:121 Added:02/03/2018

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]

86 CN BC: B.C. Health Officer Calls For Greater Focus On Opioid CrisisThu, 01 Feb 2018
Source:Globe and Mail (Canada) Author:Woo, Andrea Area:British Columbia Lines:150 Added:02/03/2018

Kendall ends term by calling on province to think further outside the box, its comfort zones

British Columbia's provincial health officer concluded his last day in the role with a call to further push the envelope in responding to the province's overdose crisis, which new numbers show killed more than 1,400 people last year.

Perry Kendall said on Wednesday the year-end tally of 1,422 illicit-drug overdose deaths - a figure that works out to a rate of 29.6 per 100,000 population and will grow as outstanding death investigations are completed - show that B.C. is "still in the midst of a persistent and continuing epidemic of unintentional poisoning deaths.

[continues 975 words]

87CN BC: Editorial: Cracking Down On PotThu, 01 Feb 2018
Source:Victoria Times-Colonist (CN BC)          Area:British Columbia Lines:Excerpt Added:02/03/2018

The City of Victoria just got some help from the courts in reining in the Wild West of marijuana shops in the municipality. At least 32 cannabis shops have popped up all over town in the past few years, and in 2016, the city brought in regulations to try to bring some order to the frontier. Other municipalities took a zero-tolerance approach, shutting them down whenever they appeared.

Whether one saw Victoria's attitude as caving in to lawlessness or acknowledging reality, it wasn't clear if the rules would stick if they were challenged.

[continues 117 words]

88 CN BC: Interior Health Issues Overdose Alert For RegionWed, 31 Jan 2018
Source:Nelson Star (CN BC) Author:Harper, Tyler Area:British Columbia Lines:110 Added:02/03/2018

'It doesn't help to have conversations that are fear-based'

Nine people died of suspected overdoses in a span of five days last week in the Interior Health region that includes Nelson.

Seven of those deaths were reported to have occurred between Jan. 23 to 26, with two more fatalities added on Jan. 27.

A spokesperson for Interior Health (IH) declined to say what communities the deaths occurred in, citing privacy concerns. The health authority includes 59 municipalities spread throughout the Kootenay Boundary, Okanagan, East Kootenay and Thompson, Cariboo and Shuswap regions.

[continues 536 words]

89 CN BC: Pot Shops Hammered With TicketsThu, 01 Feb 2018
Source:Langley Advance (CN BC) Author:Claxton, Matthew Area:British Columbia Lines:149 Added:02/03/2018

More than $200,000 has been collected from dispensaries since May.

Langley Township has collected more than $200,000 in fines from unlicensed marijuana dispensaries since last spring, in what a former dispensary owner calls bullying.

Four medical marijuana dispensaries were operating in the Township, mostly in Aldergrove, in recent months, said interim head of bylaw enforcement Bill Storie.

"We've been actively, as they crop up, pursuing them," he said.

The Township won't give a business licence to a dispensary.

[continues 704 words]

90CN BC: Taxing Cannabis May Generate $29 Million Annually: StudyWed, 31 Jan 2018
Source:Vancouver Sun (CN BC) Author:Ip, Stephanie Area:British Columbia Lines:Excerpt Added:02/03/2018

A new study suggests Vancouver pot smokers could generate up to $29 million annually for the province in additional tax revenue if marijuana was taxed at the same rate as cigarettes.

The 2018 Cannabis Price Index, compiled by pot-tech startup Seedo, looked at the cost of cannabis around the world.

The study then calculated how much additional tax revenue each city's population of pot smokers might generate based on each city's consumption and average marijuana and cigarette tax rates in the U.S.

[continues 393 words]

91CN BC: Editorial: Pot-Market Bust Was Right MoveSat, 27 Jan 2018
Source:Vancouver Sun (CN BC)          Area:British Columbia Lines:Excerpt Added:02/01/2018

Until the federal government passes a law that legalizes the recreational use of marijuana, widely expected to happen sometime this summer, selling cannabis is illegal. Not only was the Robson Street open-air pot market dealing in an illegal product, it was operating in a public space without permission. If that wasn't enough, the vendors were conducting business without licences, paid no business taxes, and failed to collect GST or provincial sales tax, as every business selling a product or service is required to do.

[continues 90 words]

92CN BC: Dad: MMDA-Therapy Trial 'Saved My Life'Sat, 27 Jan 2018
Source:Victoria Times-Colonist (CN BC) Author:Omand, Geordon Area:British Columbia Lines:Excerpt Added:02/01/2018

Researchers gear up for last stage of testing before legalization

Ed Thompson remembers the helplessness he felt each of the thousands of times his twin daughters would turn blue and go lifeless in his arms. The young girls suffered from acute breath-holding spells, an involuntary condition that causes children to pass out, in their case up to 40 times a day.

"Having your kids die in your arms 7,500 times kind of sucks," he said.

The girls' conditions eventually improved, but the experience compounded earlier trauma Thompson had witnessed as a firefighter in South Carolina, sending him into a spiral of post traumatic stress, substance abuse and thoughts of suicide.

[continues 785 words]

93 CN BC: PUB LTE: Good Reasons To Legalize PotSat, 27 Jan 2018
Source:Delta Optimist (CN BC) Author:Gibbons, Gary Area:British Columbia Lines:34 Added:02/01/2018

Editor:

Re: Greed turns governments into bookie, bootlegger and dealer, Community Comment, Jan. 19

Just a small clarification on Greg Hoover's column. He stated, "The entire reason for this (marijuana) legalization is money and nothing else." That's a very non-researched and inaccurate assumption.

There are many good reasons to take this useful and comparatively harmless herb out of courts, off the streets, out of the hands of organized crime and, hopefully, away from children.

Of course, teens will still manage to access it just as they're able to get alcohol and cigarettes, but it won't be quite as easy with proper laws in place.

If we follow Amsterdam's lead, which seems to help society there, prostitution may be another "vice" worth looking at controlling.

Gary Gibbons

[end]

94 CN BC: Pot Bust Highlights Challenges AheadSat, 27 Jan 2018
Source:Delta Optimist (CN BC) Author:Jacques, Ian Area:British Columbia Lines:72 Added:02/01/2018

A recent illegal cannabis grow operation in North Delta, busted by Delta police, is highlighting the challenges law enforcement will soon face when new marijuana legislation comes into effect later this year.

Chief Neil Dubord updated Delta police board members last week on the illegal operation police raided in late November.

Dubord said a complaint was received by the mayor's office on Oct. 17 regarding concerns over a potential cannabis grow operation in a home.

"Upon investigation, it was learned that Health Canada issued a licence dated Nov. 28 allowing 93 plants to be grown at that location," Dubord said. "Although licensed, drug investigators continued with the investigation due to evidence that suggested the operation was not consistent with 93 plants."

[continues 339 words]

95 CN BC: Column: Chief Paul: Dealing With Drug IssuesFri, 26 Jan 2018
Source:Nelson Star (CN BC) Author:Poignant, Gary Area:British Columbia Lines:123 Added:01/26/2018

Nelson's top cop is preparing for the legalization of recreational marijuana

The woman waiting in the reception area of the Nelson Police Department spots Chief Constable Paul Burkart and calls his name.

"Hi Paul," she says.

The chief smiles and leans out through the open door, asking, "What can I get for you?"

The woman tells him she needs some volunteer security clearance forms. Burkart speaks to an officer in the front dispatch area and asks him to assist the visitor.

[continues 657 words]

96 CN BC: Journalism Students Challenge Police, Mayor On Opioid CrisisThu, 25 Jan 2018
Source:Vancouver Courier (CN BC) Author:Howell, Mike Area:British Columbia Lines:101 Added:01/25/2018

Langara journalism students attended the Jan. 18 Vancouver Police Board meeting

When I'm not searching for the truth, or driving my sports-crazy kids around the Lower Mainland -- or deciding whether my tea of the day should be "super green matcha" or turmeric and ginger - I sometimes impart my semi-mad journalism skills on Langara College students.

And sometimes, like last Thursday, those students join me on the job.

We attended a Vancouver Police Board meeting, where we heard Insp. Bill Spearn of the VPD's major crime section tell us that overdose deaths in the city are still at a crisis level - at least 335 people are suspected of dying in 2017, with more than 80 per cent of the deaths connected to fentanyl.

[continues 598 words]

97CN BC: Opioid Response Has Momentum, Outgoing B.C. Health OfficerThu, 25 Jan 2018
Source:Vancouver Sun (CN BC) Author:Shore, Randy Area:British Columbia Lines:Excerpt Added:01/25/2018

Provincial health officer Dr. Perry Kendall will call it a career next week, confident that the tools are finally in place to tackle the opioid overdose crisis that has ravaged this province for more than three years.

Kendall has been among the chief architects of B.C.'s response to the deadly wave of powerful synthetic opioids that have largely replaced heroin in the illicit drug supply.

Deputy provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry will replace Kendall when he officially retires on Jan. 31. Henry will become the first woman to serve as B.C.'s provincial health officer.

[continues 801 words]

98 CN BC: Provinceas First Health Officer Announces His ResignationThu, 25 Jan 2018
Source:Globe and Mail (Canada) Author:Bains, Camille Area:British Columbia Lines:63 Added:01/25/2018

British Columbia's first provincial health officer is resigning after nearly 20 years on a job he calls "incredibly rewarding."

Perry Kendall, who declared a public health emergency in 2016 over the province's overdose crisis, will be leaving his post at the end of the month, when the deputy health officer will fill the position.

Dr. Kendall has described the opioid epidemic as B.C.'s most devastating health issue because of the high number of deaths from fentanyl, which is cut into street drugs.

[continues 337 words]

99 CN BC: Marijuana Dispensary Rules DebatedWed, 24 Jan 2018
Source:Morning Star, The (CN BC) Author:Knox, Roger Area:British Columbia Lines:108 Added:01/24/2018

The City of Vernon, said Coun. Dalvir Nahal to the overflow crowd of more than 70 people who crammed into Vernon council chambers Monday, has a responsibility to taxpayers, business owners and children to make sure what the city is doing in regards to marijuana dispensaries is being done.

The city held a public hearing Monday on a zoning text amendment bylaw that is not intended to close down dispensaries that were in operation before Nov. 14, 2017. The bylaw is to bridge the process that will allow dispensaries to continue to operate provided certain conditions are met.

[continues 718 words]

100 CN BC: Robson Square Vendors Stay Put Despite ArrestsWed, 24 Jan 2018
Source:Metro (Vancouver, CN BC) Author:Denis, Jen St. Area:British Columbia Lines:59 Added:01/24/2018

Police say booths have been selling weed to kids

Despite a recent police crackdown, marijuana vendors who have been selling pot out of booths set up at Robson Square near the Vancouver Art Gallery say they have no intention of stopping.

Police arrested four people on Jan. 22 and have charged a fifth person, Vancouver resident David Hill, with drug trafficking. At a press conference Tuesday morning, police said they have recommended 11 charges in total and more charges will be coming.

[continues 269 words]


Detail: Low  Medium  High   Pages: [<< Prev]  1  2  3  4  [Next >>]  

Email Address
Check All Check all     Uncheck All Uncheck all

Drugnews Advanced Search
Body Substring
Body
Title
Source
Author
Area     Hide Snipped
Date Range  and 
      
Page Hits/Page
Detail Sort

Quick Links
SectionsHot TopicsAreasIndices

HomeBulletin BoardChat RoomsDrug LinksDrug News
Mailing ListsMedia EmailMedia LinksLettersSearch