On Tuesday, the Canadian Public Health Association released a policy report that says the nation needs to shift how it views drugs. Simply put, the association said the time to treat addictions as a battle against drugs has long past. In a press release, Ian Culbert, the CPHA's executive director, stated the findings of the group's investigations. "Prohibition has engendered an environment that fuels the growth of illegal markets, organized crime, violent injuries, and the deaths of users, dealers, and police," he stated, while also chronicling a list of health problems accrued from drug use - particularly illicit IV drug use. [continues 492 words]
It would be unwise for the Saskatchewan Party government to blindly set limits on the number of needles needle exchange programs can issue. There is no disagreeing with the premise of the recent throne speech, which stated the obvious fact that drug use is an immense social challenge for many communities. But the logic behind limiting the number of needles per visit given to IV drug users, as the throne speech suggested, loses traction once a sober look at long-term impact is made. [continues 521 words]
Liberal MP Suggests Alternatives to Destroying Critical Afghanistan Crop Opium is a key element of the current conflict in Afghanistan. Opium poppies are now a form of livelihood for many farmers. But U.S. commanders with NATO forces have ordered poppy fields destroyed, sending farmers stripped of their livelihood straight to the Taliban. At least the Taliban and drug lords allow the farmers means to put food on the table, Liberal MP Keith Martin (Esquimalt-Juan de Fuca) said. "The Americans only want to destroy more of the poppy crop, which drives the subsistence farmers to the Taliban." [continues 331 words]
Liberal MP Offers Alternatives To Destroying Afghanistan Crop Opium is a key element of the current conflict in Afghanistan. Opium poppies are now a form of livelihood for many farmers. But U.S. commanders with NATO forces have ordered poppy fields destroyed, sending farmers stripped of their livelihood straight to the Taliban: at least the Taliban and drug lords allow the farmers means to put food on the table, Liberal MP Keith Martin (Esquimalt-Juan de Fuca) said. "The Americans only want to destroy more of the poppy crop, which drives the subsistence farmers to the Taliban." [continues 329 words]
Victoria police Const. Brad Fraser motioned to an image on the screen behind him depicting a neighbourhood of luxury homes. Against the backdrop of well-maintained homes and backyard swimming pools, one home stood out... or, at least, its remains did. Debris lay scattered across the breadth of at least five surrounding parcels of land: shattered wood, chunks of concrete, the remains of a vehicle, shreds of clothing and the crumbled lumps of appliances. The image bore startling semblance to pictures that became all-too-familiar in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, save that the home had not suffered from a natural disaster. [continues 385 words]
Somewhere in the Capital Region, someone regularly mixes a toxic stew of chemicals to make an addictive illegal drug. It's not a matter of "if" but "where," says Victoria police const. Brad Fraser. Three years ago, police raised the alarm about the spread of crystal methamphetamine. Now, as use increases, police are certain there are clandestine labs producing crystal methamphetamine in Greater Victoria. They just don't necessarily know where they are. One of the most challenging aspects of crystal meth is the ease of creation: almost anyone with access to the Internet can readily find a "recipe" to create the drug in less than an hour or two hours, "depending on the recipe, the skill level and comfort level (one) may have mixing chemicals" Fraser asserts. [continues 377 words]
ESQUIMALT Esquimalt's deputy fire chief wants area emergency crews to get a better understanding of the dangers of crystal methamphetamine. It's not the use of meth that bothers Deputy Chief Paul Nelson, but the dangers posed by labs creating the addictive and readily available drug. The basic ingredients for creating crystal meth are commonly available, but the creation process (called "cooking" in drug circles) results in several toxic and potentially explosive by-products. "We'll never know if we're responding to a meth lab until we're there or the police are there dealing with a domestic dispute," Nelson said, as he pitched his idea to civic leaders Monday. [continues 274 words]
ESQUIMALT - A freshly minted society hopes to provide a united front against crystal meth. Titled the Crystal Meth Society Victoria, members of the group planned to formally announce their existence at a press conference this (Wednesday) morning. The group hopes to facilitate the creation of a task force, bringing together youth groups, additions agencies, police and community groups to help tackle the growing problem of meth addiction in the community. The group hoped to claim the title Crystal Meth B.C. Society, but the province wouldn't allow the name to stand, according to founding director Ruth Layne, an Esquimalt councillor. [continues 274 words]
A new group in Victoria hopes to provide a united front against crystal meth in the Capital Region. Members of the Crystal Meth Society Victoria hope to facilitate the creation of a task force, bringing together youth groups, additions agencies, police and community groups to help tackle the growing problem of meth addiction in the community, said founding director Ruth Layne, an Esquimalt councillor. The group will seek funds from corporate and private donors, Layne said. One of its first missions is to push to see retailers remove some of the main ingredients of the highly toxic compound from common retail shelves. [continues 203 words]
Approximately 200 people flocked to the Esquimalt Recreation Centre to learn more about the perils of crystal meth. It isn't a pretty world, said presenter Chris Goble, a key worker with the Victoria Youth Empowerment Society and coordinator of Specialized Youth Detox. While he stopped short of calling crystal meth a growing epidemic, he noted crystal meth as the drug of choice for a vast preponderance of youths coming in for detox. In 2001, a mere 11 per cent of detox clients used the drug - in 2003-04, that shifted to 62 per cent. [continues 491 words]
Saanich Police observed 13 people committing various crimes during a five-day investigation that was aimed at determining the volume and frequency of illicit drug use among Saanich youth. From May 5 to 9, plain clothes and uniformed police officers kept an eye on parks, recreation centres, malls and fast food restaurants before and after school as well as during school breaks. Officers were specifically looking for youth who strayed from school grounds while school was in session. Insp. John Charlton was quick to point out that much of the criminal activity that police saw took place well away from schools. [continues 173 words]
Around the province, there is a growing body of evidence to suggest that indoor marijuana grow operations are increasing in number and sophistication. In Surrey, for example, police discovered several newly constructed homes that had been specially designed and wired for the expressed purpose of growing marijuana indoors. So far in 2002, Saanich Police Department's street crime unit has shut down 37 grow-ops. SCU Sgt. Doug Newman says that tally doesn't include busts by other divisions of the police or accidental discoveries made by fire crews responding to blazes. [continues 812 words]
It's a small victory in Eric Young's battle to legally smoke marijuana for medicinal reasons, but the Saanich resident will take it nonetheless. On Thursday, the federal government granted Young permission to use marijuana to manage symptoms of his multiple sclerosis. That permission was due to expire today, (Sept. 11). If the federal government hadn't extended it for six months, Young and his lawyer, Lloyd Duhaime, had planned to attend an emergency session of BC Supreme Court Friday to persuade the courts to allow Young to continue sparking up his marijuana cigarettes. [continues 328 words]
Eric Young Has Taken His Battle To Secure Medicinal Marijuana To The Supreme Court Of BC A Saanich man is taking two levels of government and the College of Physicians and Surgeons to court in order to secure his right to consume marijuana. Eric Young suffers from multiple sclerosis, and is one of about 800 people across the country legally allowed to possess and consume marijuana to help manage his condition. Changes to federal regulations state that Young must obtain a prescription from a designated specialist in order to legally obtain and use marijuana. [continues 689 words]
A 37-year-old man who is legally permitted to smoke marijuana to help him manage his multiple sclerosis has been ordered out of his subsidized housing unit. Eric Young says the BC Human Rights Commission will be investigating his claims that his landlord, Capital Regional Housing Corporation (CRHC) along with three private citizens, have discriminated against him for his physical disability. Young says he received an eviction notice Friday (Jan. 25). The CRHC declined comment on the matter. "I understand that the Human Rights Commission has completed their investigation and I can't discuss any notices that have - or have not - been served on Mr. Young," CRHC spokesperson Amy Jaarsma told the News. Young believes that the eviction notice may be due to a sign that he posted in the window of his house to remind his neighbours that his marijuana use is legal and he alleges the CRHC has failed to exercise appropriate responsibility to mitigate harassment from his neighbours. He also claims that agents of the CRHC have tried to prevent him from exercising his legal right to smoke marijuana and that the eviction notice is just the latest example of prejudice. [continues 78 words]
Eric Young is one of about 520 people across the country legally allowed to use marijuana for medical reasons and he would like nothing better than to be able to spark up his joints in peace. But he claims he can't do that because neighbours in his subsidized housing complex keep harassing him over his use of the drug. Young says smoking pot helps him manage his multiple sclerosis. He has fewer spasms, his mood improves, he sleeps better and his overall health is generally elevated when he uses marijuana. [continues 689 words]
New federal regulations that took effect in the summer were intended to clarify the boundaries for use of marijuana for medicinal purposes. But Abbotsford lawyer John Conroy, who has been involved with numerous high-profile cases involving medicinal marijuana use, argues that the current laws are too vague and ambiguous. He calls the criteria for using medicinal marijuana "absurd" and says the regulations make it more difficult for people who are suffering health problems to use the drug. "What specialist is going to do that without seeing a patient? And usually it takes months to see a specialist," says Conroy, adding that many patients have to fight to achieve what he considers is a basic right to access the medicine of their choice. [continues 202 words]
