Ian Mulgrew's recent column on Vancouver city council's decision to regulate marijuana dispensaries takes an exceedingly myopic view of this important issue. Some of Mulgrew's concerns are valid, particularly on medical marijuana being used as a front for recreational cannabis. But lambasting city council for the fact that "(t)here is no legal supply for any of the 100 or so shops in the city" misses the mark. There is increasing agreement that strictly regulating recreational adult cannabis use is likely the most effective way to reduce its harms. But the lack of a regulated system for cannabis use is not city council's fault. [continues 98 words]
What Legal Pot in the US Means for BC Drug Gangs IT'S OFFICIAL: British Columbia, once North America's pre-eminent destination for weed, now runs a distant third. This spring, the government of Washington state (hot on Colorado's heels) achieved the impossible, becoming in essence a purveyor of recreational marijuana. Just over a year after regulation was voted in, the policy apparatus is finally in place for buyers of age to choose from a variety of retailers, strains, and products, with restrictions limited to public consumption and driving under the influence. While some British Columbians may feel the sting of being replaced, they can take consolation in knowing that Washington's legalization of cannabis was partly motivated by a homegrown issue in BC: its legion of drug gangs. [continues 838 words]
TORONTO--A scientific review at the XVI International AIDS Conference in Toronto on August 15 became the scene of an emotional outpouring of support for Insite, Vancouver's supervised-injection site. Thomas Kerr, a research scientist in charge of evaluating Insite, presented findings from the three years that Insite has operated in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. Presentations at the International AIDS Conference are generally quiet affairs, but this one was tense from the start, with Steven Fletcher, a Conservative MP and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health, showing up, a surprise to many attendees. [continues 489 words]
Before Being Killed By A Suicide Bomber, Daniel Werb Reports, Glyn Berry Was Part Of A Scheme To Help A Minor Nation Kick A Major Habit Early in the 11th century, the master Afghan doctor Avicenna, one of the fathers of modern medicine, praised opium as the most potent of all pain relievers. Yet, a thousand years later, the same drug, coupled with resurgent terrorism, has his homeland in agony. Opium and insurgency both played a role in the suicide bombing of a Canadian patrol on the outskirts of Kandahar this week that left diplomat Glyn Berry dead and three soldiers travelling with him severely injured. [continues 2979 words]
