TELLING IT LIKE IT is, the Ontario government's plans for dealing with legalized marijuana are nothing short of a cash grab, coupled with some pandering to the public sector unions Kathleen Wynne hopes will win her votes among a group responsible for acting against the public interest. Never mind talk about preventing kids from getting weed - that will continue as it always has - the decision to have the LCBO oversee sales is purely about Queen's Park cashing in on the federal government's dubious look-how-hip-we-are policies. [continues 455 words]
Looking to protect future tenants and homeowners from houses that were previously used as marijuana grow-ops, Waterloo regional police are working with municipalities to come up with a protocol for the notification of the location of marijuana grow operations. The initiative, entitled "Police Notification of Illicit Marijuana Grow operations," would standardize the process by which the police notify municipalities of the location of former grow ops.The region's municipalities, in turn, are now Police and municipalities look to develop grow-operation strategy thrashing out their own protocol to ensure that such homes, once discovered, are made safe again for habitation. [continues 247 words]
As You Sow So Shall You Reap. Unless, of Course, You're One of the Many Area Farmers Who Find a Little Something Extra in Their Fields: Marijuana Plants. For police departments, seizures of such plants are a regular occurrence, as farmers continually discover the illicit crops growing in among their cornfields. Last month, for instance, a three-day blitz by a special drug unit made up of officers from the RCMP, the OPP and the Waterloo Regional Police Service netted 5,000 plants in Waterloo, Wellington and Perth counties. Half of the plants came from this region. [continues 988 words]
Spotting marijuana in their field and aiding in the arrest of the suspects netted an Elmira-area farm family citations from the Waterloo Regional Police Services. More than a year ago, Randy Martin and his daughter Jessica Lynn stopped two men from planting marijuana in their cornfield. They were honoured for their conduct at the Citizen Citation Awards at a recent banquet. Martin's wife said her husband was shy about receiving the award but soon warmed to the idea of being honoured for his heroism. [continues 505 words]
A few unseemly party favours over March Break have high school educators looking to tackle any growth in hard drug use among Elmira youth. The circulation of cocaine and ecstasy at parties during the holiday was brought to the attention of Elmira District Secondary School administrators when classes resumed on Monday. The school's activities director said there are concerns every year, but this time the break brought things to a head. "It was this one student who said 'look, over the March Break I was at a couple of parties and could not believe the prevalence that these drugs' -- cocaine and ecstasy were the two being mentioned -- 'and the number of people who are making those bad choices,'" said Dave Conlon. [continues 401 words]
Reacting to recent concerns about illegal drug use at EDSS, the Elmira high school hosted another anti-drug presentation for its students. This time out, students got to hear firsthand accounts of the perils of drug use, courtesy of a former addict. Julian Madigan, a renowned speaker on drug abuse, addressed roughly 300 students Mar. 24. Citing real-life stories and personal accounts as a drug-user, Madigan stressed that "being your own boss" is the key to living a substance-free existence. [continues 329 words]
Concerned parents at John Mahood Public School in Elmira are worried that action is not being taken fast enough to protect students from contact with drug use taking place in neighbouring Gibson Park. Those parents, led by Shelley DeRose, want immediate action from the school, its parent council and the township to erect a fence that will keep their children from coming across drugs and related paraphernalia. The items of concern have been found in the wooded section of the park that borders the school's playground. It's officially a no-go zone for children, but DeRose wants the extra protection of a fence to increase student safety. [continues 671 words]
It seems that little ol' Woolwich has suddenly been thrown into the hubbub of marijuana grow operations that increasingly make news in Waterloo region. While it is not surprising that some operators would choose a rural environment, the locations of the last two busts, in Elmira Feb. 14 and St. Jacobs Feb. 26, would not appear to have been good choices. A real rural setting, on a farm away from prying eyes and anything resembling a neighbourhood watch, would seem to be ideal. But the recently busted operations were in suburban locations and, as Woolwich Coun. Mark Bauman noted-the St. Jacobs grow house was across the street from his home-people in smaller communities tend to know their neighbours and, quite often, what they are up to. With an estimated 200 grow houses still in operation, chances are good more will be unearthed here under similar circumstances. Police are advising the public to keep an eye out for suspicious activity - they know that being bright is not a prerequisite for growing pot indoors. [end]
