The Interior town of Williams Lake has done a good job of highlighting the problem of "prolific offenders" in recent weeks. Instead of playing down its distinction as B.C.'s crime capital as previous honourees Surrey, New Westminster and North Vancouver have done before, Williams Lake Mayor Scott Nelson has used police statistics to tackle the problem head-on. He's put the message out forcefully that the numbers are driven by a handful of hardcore repeat offenders who, especially in a small town, can generate a crime wave all by themselves. But the same story could be told in communities around the province, and it's usually a story about what people will do to get drugs. [continues 650 words]
VICTORIA - The Interior town of Williams Lake has done a good job of highlighting the problem of "prolific offenders" in recent weeks. Instead of playing down its distinction as B.C.'s crime capital as previous honourees Surrey, New Westminster and North Vancouver have done before, Williams Lake Mayor Scott Nelson has used police statistics to tackle the problem head-on. He's put the message out forcefully that the numbers are driven by a handful of hardcore repeat offenders who, especially in a small town, can generate a crime wave all by themselves. But the same story could be told in communities around the province, and it's usually a story about what people will do to get drugs. [continues 817 words]
VICTORIA - The Interior town of Williams Lake has done a good job of highlighting the problem of "prolific offenders" in recent weeks. Instead of playing down its distinction as B.C.'s crime capital as previous honourees Surrey, New Westminster and North Vancouver have done before, Williams Lake Mayor Scott Nelson has used police statistics to tackle the problem head-on. He's put the message out forcefully that the numbers are driven by a handful of hardcore repeat offenders who, especially in a small town, can generate a crime wave all by themselves. But the same story could be told in communities around the province, and it's usually a story about what people will do to get drugs. [continues 541 words]
The Interior town of Williams Lake has done a good job of highlighting the problem of "prolific offenders" in recent weeks. Instead of playing down its distinction as B.C.'s crime capital as previous honourees Surrey, New Westminster and North Vancouver have done before, Williams Lake Mayor Scott Nelson has used police statistics to tackle the problem head-on. He's put the message out forcefully that the numbers are driven by a handful of hardcore repeat offenders who, especially in a small town, can generate a crime wave all by themselves. But the same story could be told in communities around the province, and it's usually a story about what people will do to get drugs. [continues 518 words]
On October 4th, Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Minister of Health Tony Clement, and Minister of Public Safety Stockwell Day jointly announced the new National Anti-Drug Strategy. Billed as a two-pronged effort to crack down on drug offences while being compassionate to victims, the "new" anti-drug strategy is similar to past political jargon. The strategy will spend a combined $63.8 million over two years, focusing on three initiatives: law enforcement, a national prevention campaign, and treatment services for substance abuse. [continues 440 words]
Whether the state can randomly select a handful of teachers and force them to undergo immediate drug testing is a decision the governor has 26 days left to address. After that, the American Civil Rights Union will sue, according to Carlie A. Ware, an attorney with the ACLU Drug Law Reform Project. Claiming that a stipulation within the teachers' next two-year contract violates constitutionally protected rights, Ware said random drug testing without suspicion is a violation of privacy, as medical status - ranging from pregnancy, the presence of disease or traces of legitimate prescriptions - can be determined from urine samples. [continues 703 words]
Conservative Government's Recent Anti-Pot Efforts Misplaced The other night, some close friends of mine were smoking a marijuana joint outside of a bar. A plainclothes bouncer outside tipped off another bouncer inside and my friends were informed that the bar has a strict anti-drug policy. They weren't allowed back inside to finish their drinks. All of this is a bit surprising. These days, it's common in Western Canada to see folks smoking joints outside pubs and clubs with the cigarette smokers. And an establishment promoting and selling liquor is hardly anti-drug. [continues 1447 words]
TORONTO -- Police in Niagara region are warning parents to speak with their children about the dangers of trying jimson weed after three teens ingested the poisonous plant and had to be rushed to hospital. Police have not been able to speak with the three boys, aged 14 to 17, who remain in critical but stable condition, after arriving in a Hamilton, Ont., hospital early Sunday morning, in "unresponsive and incoherent states." Also known as Datura, thorn apple, stinkweed or angel's trumpet, jimson weed is popular among teenagers for its easy access and has been linked to at least two deaths and dozens of overdoses across Canada in recent years. [continues 214 words]
Crime Boss Was Involved In Trafficking Drugs, Laundering Money And Bilking Seniors Across The Continent NORTH SHORE - Prosecutors have finally managed to convict a North Shore-based Persian organized-crime kingpin involved in trafficking drugs, laundering money and bilking seniors across the continent. After lengthy proceedings in New Westminster involving charges of kidnapping and torture, Omid Tahvili now faces lengthy imprisonment and extradition to the U.S. Tahvili, who arrived from Iran in 1994, came to the attention of authorities after he and his brother-in-law were nabbed on Nov. 30, 2000, with three kilograms of cocaine. [continues 906 words]
VICTORIA - The Interior town of Williams Lake has done a good job of highlighting the problem of prolific offenders in recent weeks. Instead of playing down its distinction as B.C.'s crime capital as previous honourees Surrey, New Westminster and North Vancouver have done before, Williams Lake Mayor Scott Nelson has used police statistics to tackle the problem head-on. He's put the message out forcefully that the numbers are driven by a handful of hardcore repeat offenders who, especially in a small town, can generate a crime wave all by themselves. But the same story could be told in communities around the province, and it's usually a story about what people will do to get drugs. [continues 686 words]
The Interior town of Williams Lake has done a good job of highlighting the problem of "prolific offenders" in recent weeks. Instead of playing down its distinction as B.C.'s crime capital as previous honourees Surrey, New Westminster and North Vancouver have done before, Williams Lake Mayor Scott Nelson has used police statistics to tackle the problem head-on. He's put the message out forcefully that the numbers are driven by a handful of hardcore repeat offenders who, especially in a small town, can generate a crime wave all by themselves. But the same story could be told in communities around the province, and it's usually a story about what people will do to get drugs. [continues 817 words]
The Interior town of Williams Lake has done a good job of highlighting the problem of "prolific offenders" in recent weeks. Instead of playing down its distinction as B.C.'s crime capital as previous honourees Surrey, New Westminster and North Vancouver have done before, Williams Lake Mayor Scott Nelson has used police statistics to tackle the problem head-on. He's put the message out forcefully that the numbers are driven by a handful of hardcore repeat offenders who, especially in a small town, can generate a crime wave all by themselves. [continues 843 words]
VICTORIA - The Interior town of Williams Lake has done a good job of highlighting the problem of "prolific offenders" in recent weeks. Instead of playing down its distinction as B.C.'s crime capital as previous honourees Surrey, New Westminster and North Vancouver have done before, Williams Lake Mayor Scott Nelson has used police statistics to tackle the problem head-on. He's put the message out forcefully that the numbers are driven by a handful of hardcore repeat offenders who, especially in a small town, can generate a crime wave all by themselves. [continues 843 words]
The Interior town of Williams Lake has done a good job of highlighting the problem of "prolific offenders" in recent weeks. Instead of playing down its distinction as BC's crime capital as previous honourees Surrey, New Westminster and North Vancouver have done before, Williams Lake Mayor Scott Nelson has used police statistics to tackle the problem head-on. He's put the message out forcefully that the numbers are driven by a handful of hardcore repeat offenders who, especially in a small town, can generate a crime wave all by themselves. But the same story could be told in communities around the province, and it's usually a story about what people will do to get drugs. [continues 809 words]
Almost one in 10 Australians has tried methamphetamines at least once, according to a scorching report to the Federal Government that recommends a host of policies to combat the scourge. In what could be seen as confirmation of fears that Australia faces a methamphetamines crisis, a report by the Australian National Council on Drugs, advisers to the Government on illicit drugs, says there has been a "significant upsurge" in problems related to use of methamphetamine drugs since the late 1990s. It singles out crystal methamphetamine, or "ice", as a particular worry. [continues 394 words]
Sergeant Robert Brent is a man who wants to see kids make the right choices. So much, in fact, that he is one of the only Drug Abuse Resistance Education officers in Lassen County. Based out of the Sierra Army Depot, Brent is one of two officers who teach the DARE program for the Fort Sage Unified School District in Herlong. He has worked as a DARE Officer for more than 11 years, and has been certified to teach kids ranging from kindergarten to high school seniors. [continues 511 words]
A Turncoat Narc Offers TIps On How To Move Your Weed He looks like a good cop. He's got the 'stache, the short-cropped hair, the pushed-out chest and the shiny badge. He sounds like a good cop too; drawled and official. He's got a TV reporter's microphone in his face and a brick of marijuana in his hand, and he's answering questions--not in the "I just accidentally Tasered an old lady" kind of way, but with a grin of accomplishment. The total bust was in the neighborhood of 275 pounds. [continues 3739 words]
You can be opposed to the consumption of marijuana. Fine. But your own moral code aside, you must consider facts and hard evidence. The purposes of Jake DaSilva's recent column were very clear: to claim that pot is bad and should never be smoked by anyone. However, there was no real substance behind his anecdotal account of why drugs, moreover marijuana, are bad. His basic assertion is that marijuana is bad and wreaks havoc in the lives of the users. He laments on the blight of sketchy drug dealers peddling their goods on impressionable young children and adults who consume marijuana. [continues 692 words]
For years, drug commander Rich Burden thought for sure the greatest threat to Arizona was methamphetamine. Then late last summer at a federal drug training academy in Quantico, Va., he met two high-ranking cops from Thailand who told him they'd seen something worse. "And I'm thinking, I know meth. I know the meth world. What could be worse than methamphetamine?" said Burden, a lieutenant with the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office and head of the state's multi-agency meth task force. Their answer? Yaba. [continues 1318 words]
Dramatic Drop Attributed To New Law Restricting Cold And Allergy Medicine Law enforcement officers reported no methamphetamine lab busts in 2006 in Douglas County -- the first time in at least the past five years. The decline is part of a statewide trend. Kansas Bureau of Investigation statistics released this week show that seizures of methamphetamine labs, supplies and equipment were down across the board in 2006. The decline came even after a new state law requiring counties to report meth lab seizures took effect last year. [continues 399 words]
