Nanaimo RCMP's Green Team has completed a six-week-long roundup of marijuana grow operations. The effort ran from late October to early December, during which police investigated 64 files generated from Crime Stoppers tips and police investigations. Over that six weeks, Mounties executed nine warrants and concluded 34 files, said Const. Gary O'Brien, Nanaimo RCMP spokesman. The operation turned up 952 marijuana plants, more than 55 kilograms of marijuana, 135 grow lights, $4,000 in Canadian currency and one .22-calibre rifle with ammunition. [continues 98 words]
To the Editor, Re: Most criminal activity starts with drug issues, Dec. 5. While it is true that drugs are indeed involved in the majority of criminal activity police deal with, there is no indication whatsoever that drugs are the root cause of criminal activity. That distinction belongs exclusively to prohibition and the RCMP are being quite disingenuous to state otherwise. Prohibition precludes, by way of legislation, the retail marketing of 'drugs' in an open market subject to limitations afforded by law. [continues 179 words]
To the Editor, Re: Most criminal activity starts with drug issues, Dec. 5. Nanaimo RCMP Const. Gary O'Brien makes the common mistake of confusing prohibition-related crime with drug-related crime. Attempts to limit the supply of illegal drugs while demand remains constant only increase the profitability of drug trafficking. For addictive drugs like heroin, a spike in street prices leads desperate addicts to increase criminal activity to feed desperate habits. The drug war doesn't fight crime, it fuels crime. Look no further than Canada's southern neighbour for tragic examples of anti-drug policies that are best avoided. [continues 92 words]
Fire officials want to know which houses are running legal marijuana grow operations. Bob Simpson, deputy chief of operations with Nanaimo Fire Rescue, said whether they are legal or illegal, grow-ops pose a huge risk to firefighters if they are ever called to fight a fire. Simpson said the amount of electrical wires, chemicals and building alterations found in private grow-ops requires different firefighting tactics. The federal government does not permit information on legal growing operations to be given to municipalities or fire departments. [continues 315 words]
B.C. residents are boozing more and toking up less, according to new research. The average resident drank almost 9.2 litres of pure alcohol last year, up more than 10 per cent from 8.26 litres in 2002. That's among the findings of multiple B.C. academics compiled and released by the University of Victoria's Centre for Addictions Research. The province's per capita liquor intake has been rising almost twice as fast as the rest of Canada. [continues 225 words]
Drugs are the root cause of the majority of criminal activity police deal with. "If you take away drugs, you'd eliminate 85 per cent of crime in our society," said Const. Gary O'Brien, Nanaimo RCMP spokesman. Once a person becomes hooked on drugs, they often enter into a life of crime to feed their habit, a criminal lifestyle that can take years to reverse. One of the biggest changes over the past 30 years has been the increased potency of the drugs. [continues 487 words]
To the Editor, Re: Health team targets troubled, Nov. 26. According to the article, we are spending, through the Vancouver Island Health Authority, almost $19,000 per person per year to help those people who frequently use acute care, the police and social programs. This is of course over the amount government-funded agencies use to try and help these individuals. If any of these individuals do not try to change their lifestyle, if it includes drug or alcohol abuse or criminal acts, they should be disqualified from access to these funds. [continues 75 words]
New measures to enforce order on the streets are moving through the B.C. legislature as the government gets ready to host the world and its news media at the 2010 Olympics. Housing and Social Development Minister Rich Coleman is the government's point man for two contentious bills being passed despite opposition objections. The Assistance to Shelter Act gives police new authority in extreme weather conditions to take people off the streets and bring them to the door of a shelter. [continues 244 words]
To the Editor, Our economy is quite obviously suffering these days and our municipal taxes are headed up. Our taxation load is already heavy with many citizens about to buckle under the strain of high taxes and inflated prices. A major municipal cost is policing and a major component of that is anti-drug squad activity. Is it cost effective to stick to the letter of the law? Personal possession of any drug - even the hardest - is not a crime in Spain, Portugal, Italy, the Czech Republic or the Baltic states. [continues 68 words]
To the Editor, Re: Mounties harvest bumper crop, Sept. 5. The recent outdoor marijuana "eradication" efforts by police are glaring examples of the futility of prohibition. Law enforcement efforts are not "stemming the tide" (or "taking a bite out") of drugs, nor will they ever do so. It is all just an expensive show at taxpayer expense to give the public the illusion that something is being accomplished. Why aren't journalists asking important questions, like: Is there evidence that these eradication efforts actually reduce the availability of marijuana on the street? (The police say that is their goal). [continues 145 words]
Esquimalt wants nothing to do with them, but Victoria is impatient to get the crack kits flowing. City council is supporting the Vancouver Island Health Authority's push to distribute free crack paraphernalia. In a draft letter to VIHA, council requested a pilot project to distribute crack kits. "It is clear that harm reduction initiatives go a long way to reducing the transmission of communicable disease," said council's letter of support. Dr. Murray Fyfe, VIHA medical health officer, confirmed the benefits of crack kits have not been widely studied. But research has shown that crack pipes can carry hepatitis C-positive blood, he said. The plan is to distribute the crack kits through the same agencies distributing needles for drug injection. [continues 121 words]
To the Editor, Re: City sitting on crack kit project, June 16. This program is about harm reduction which not only affects users but those associated with the users who may contract the named diseases. Drug use is illegal but it is out there whether this program exists or not. At least with this program, there is some mitigation of the affects of drug use. City officials seem to be looking for a 100-per cent guarantee of program effectiveness, which can never be attained. [continues 482 words]
Nanaimo isn't prepared to endorse a health authority crack kit distribution program without further evidence about its effectiveness. The Vancouver Island Health Authority is discussing the program with Victoria council after the city approached VIHA about the program earlier this year. Nanaimo isn't engaged in talks about distributing crack kits and hasn't yet asked for meetings. Suzanne Germain, VIHA spokeswoman, said VIHA was approached by Victoria's mayor, but the health authority isn't actively seeking out municipalities. If Victoria goes ahead, it will be the first municipality on the Island to accept the program. [continues 385 words]
Re: Fire uncovers elaborate grow-op, May 28. A dangerous fire caused by a grow-op. The fault of criminals or the fault of prohibition? Look what people are prepared to do to grow a simple plant. Is it not time to end this reefer madness, so that people can grow a plant under the good old sun rather than forcing them to endanger their families and neighbours? Pot isn't a dangerous drug - alcohol continues to kill people and there has yet to be a death attributed to smoking a joint, not one. In fact it is a useful drug that has the potential help or cure many ailments. The U.S. government has known that cannabis has the potential to cure cancer since at least 1974. I'm serious, look it up. End the lies, and stop this madness. A. Brown Ladysmith [end]
To the Editor, British Columbia's Civil Forfeiture Office maintains that the legislation does not, by any means, allow police or the government to arbitrarily seize lawful property, and that proceeds from successful civil forfeiture proceedings are used to compensate victims and for crime prevention and remediation activities across the province. In my opinion, the creation of this 'reverse-onus' requires defendants to prove they did not gain the asset from unlawful activity. Examinations for discovery are conducted and cases are decided on the civil standard of proof - the balance of probabilities - rather than the higher criminal standard, beyond a reasonable doubt. [continues 155 words]
To the Editor, Re: 'Tough' drug bill politicized, May 21. When it comes to drugs, mandatory minimum prison sentences are proven failures. If harsh sentences deterred illicit drug use, Canada's southern neighbour would be a 'drug-free' America. That's not the case. The U.S. drug war has done little other than give the land of the free the highest incarceration rate in the world. The drug war is a cure worse than the disease. Drug prohibition finances organized crime at home and terrorism abroad, which is then used to justify increased drug war spending. [continues 84 words]
To the Editor, Re: 'Tough' drug bill politicized, May 21. One could wonder if Bill C-15 was designed specifically to increase crime. By offering mandatory minimum sentences for growing even one plant, the Tories scare off the mom and pop growers who present direct market competition to the gang growers who use public land, steal power and wreck homes. With the small-timers scared off, the gangs will have more demand to fill, and that means more profit. More profit means more violent competition and more associated crime. [continues 91 words]
The issue of medical marijuana hits the airwaves Tuesday (May 26) on CHLY 101.7 FM radio. The topic will be discussed on Pam Edgar's Living for the Health of It show from 2-4 p.m. "Polls show the vast majority of Canadians are in favour of legal access to medical marijuana but most are not aware of the strength of the benefit to those who suffer from a variety of serious ailments," said Glenda Allard Barr, a former designated medical marijuana grower licensed by Health Canada and a guest on Tuesday's show. [continues 89 words]
After 35 years of experience with mandatory minimum sentences for drug crimes, Americans are beginning to abandon this discredited approach. Yet Stephen Harper's Conservative government now wants to saddle Canadians with these expensive and ineffective laws. Now before a Commons committee, Bill C-15 would impose a two-year mandatory minimum for dealing drugs like cocaine and methamphetamines in places where young people congregate. It would also impose a six-month jail sentence for growing even a single marijuana plant for the purpose of trafficking. [continues 180 words]
More drivers in British Columbia are a danger to all road users by driving impaired after using drugs, according to the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse. The centre released its Alcohol and Drug Use Among Drivers: British Columbia Roadside Survey for 2008, showing fewer people driving after drinking, but more doing so after taking drugs. Allan Lamb, BCAA Traffic Safety Foundation's executive director, is particularly concerned young drivers, who act responsibly when it comes to combining alcohol and driving, have no idea they could become too impaired to drive after smoking marijuana, using cocaine or taking their drug of choice. [continues 157 words]
