Charlottetown Mayor Clifford Lee appeared on CBC Compass on Friday to detail financial problems that the city foresees in preparing for the legalization of marijuana in 2018.The mayor did so but also took the opportunity to become the first leader in Canada to explain why the country will be making a huge mistake in legalizing the drug. He spoke the truth.

Congratulations Mayor Lee, your remarks were right on and should be required listening for all federal and provincial politicians.

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Charlottetown Mayor Clifford Lee appeared on CBC Compass on Friday to detail financial problems that his city foresees in preparing for the legalization of marijuana in 2018.

The mayor did so but also took the opportunity to become the first leader in Canada to explain why the country will be making a huge mistake in legalizing the drug. He spoke the truth. Congratulations Mayor Lee, your remarks were right on and should be required listening for all federal and provincial politicians.

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In a recent Canadian Public Health Association discussion paper, "A New Approach to Managing Illegal Psychoactive Substances in Canada," the point was made emphatically that our current approach to managing risk is not working.

Here are some of its highlights:

- - A psychoactive substance is a chemical that changes brain function and results in alterations in perception, mood, consciousness or behaviour. Societies mitigate the health, social, and economic consequences of the use and misuse of psychoactive substances such as alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, opioids, amphetamines, cocaine, tranquillizers and sleeping pills in a variety of ways with varying degrees of success. Their effects on population health, however, are often overshadowed by our fascination with the direct effects of substance misuse on individuals [e.g. recent rise in the opioid death rate due to adulteration of the drug supply with fentanyl and its analogues]. Currently, western societies manage illegal psychoactive substances largely through prohibition and criminalization and legal drugs, like tobacco and alcohol, through regulation, restricted availability and price control. The laws and systems initially introduced to control these substances reflected the times ! and prevalent issues of the day, but no longer reflect current scientific knowledge concerning substance-related harms to individuals, families, or communities.

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There was a Letter to the Editor on the subject of legalizing marijuana by a person who is in the business of treating youth who have addiction issues. I agree with what the person is trying to relay on this very important issue. The people who are in the business of treating people with addictions know first hand the dangers of this great idea that the government is bringing on and that is legalizing of marijuana.

I know that from my own experience with addiction, that the results from the disease are so damaging and far reaching it boggles my mind how government can justify the legalizing of a drug that caused so much pain and suffering to addicts, family, friends and taxpayers.

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The Atlantic provinces have some blue-sky thinking to do, and not much time to do it. Or more to the point: maybe they have some blue-smoke thinking to be doing.

Last week, the federal government announced its plans to legalize marijuana and, in so doing, threw the ball into the provincial court. The provinces will have the final say on how weed will be marketed in their regions, and also on things like the minimum age of purchasers. And that's only the beginning. In fact, the provinces have more than a little heavy lifting of their own to do in the 15 months before the federal government's changed rules become law.

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Summerside couple opening store selling glass pieces for legal herbs and medical marijuana

It's a cause close to Megan Patey and Tommy Biggar's hearts.

"I use it for my anxiety and PTSD. And since starting it, I've been functioning a lot better," explained Patey.

The "it" is medicinal marijuana prescribed by a physician.

Biggar added, "It's incredible. It went from her nails being below the skin, to being able to paint them, to having to cut them. It was incredible to see how it helped her."

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As spring approaches, so does the federal government's promise to introduce legislation to legalize marijuana. The Justin Trudeau government announced back in April of last year that it would be introducing new legislation next spring. So now that spring is almost upon us, will that bill be coming soon?

Even when that bill arrives, it still needs to pass through the House of Commons and the Senate.

That could take months, perhaps extend into early 2018, and even then, the passing of the bill doesn't mean legal marijuana will be available right away.

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