It is sad that some 14 years after B.C. Chief Coroner, Vince Caine held an 'open inquest' on the continuous stream of drug deaths, things are, if anything, worse today, than they were back then. One of his open consultations was at the Coast Bastion Inn and perhaps 30 people attended. The discussion centred around more money and support for addicts attempting to quit their addiction. Nobody tackled the subject of why the drug scene had deteriorated so badly in the preceeding 25 to 30 years in Nanaimo. [continues 118 words]
The body of a 26-year-old woman with "obvious signs of drug use" was found near a south-end Nanaimo phone booth on Monday. Police do not suspect foul play in the woman's death, which was reported by a passerby around 7:45 a.m., in the 700-block of Haliburton Street. Nanaimo RCMP spokesman Const. Gary O'Brien said on Monday the territory is "a very active area" known for its drug use and nuisance properties. "Unfortunately, it's not an uncommon occurrence," said O'Brien of drug overdoses. "That's the sad reality." [continues 198 words]
A group that provides marijuana to sick people hopes to expand into a storefront location in downtown Nanaimo within a few weeks. Local resident James Younger has been delivering pot on his bicycle to about half a dozen chronically ill residents in the city for the past few months, but has now partnered with Nanaimo marijuana activist Richard Payne to expand and physically establish the Mid-Island Compassion Society. A downtown location would provide a source of safe, clean marijuana to more medical users throughout the region who currently have to buy the drug on the streets or travel to organizations in Victoria, such as the Vancouver Island Compassion Club, that sell pot to patients, Payne said. [continues 391 words]
Hey kids, guess what? Now you can keep drugs in your locker at school and nobody can stop you. Not the police, the teachers, or mom and dad. It's all thanks to the Supreme Court, that august body that hands down weighty -- and hopefully wise -- decisions. The court's recent ruling ordering drug-sniffing dogs to keep their noses out of school lockers was certainly weighty, but it wasn't wise. It came down on the side of individualism, a philosophy tailor-made for teenage narcissism, instead of on the side of the community's collective good. It is not in the collective good to open the door for more people to carry drugs on their persons without fear of repercussion and it is certainly not good for society or for students when high school lockers are deemed sacrosanct places, off-limits to random drug searches. The kids must be laughing all the way to their next drug deal. [continues 566 words]
Mark and Ruth McLaughlin have toured the province for several years, talking to more than 25,000 students about the devastation caused by crystal methamphetamine. They can now continue their work after the ministry of education awarded $50,000 the Crystal Meth Society of B.C. last week. The couple is also responsible for starting a 120-member meth task force in Victoria after they discovered their teen daughter was addicted to the drug that changed their lives. The task force has since disbanded but the society remains and continues to provide parents, teachers and youth with information and resources. [continues 236 words]
Nanaimo parents, youth and community organizations have teamed up to create a long-term plan to address youth alcohol and drug abuse. At a recent two-day conference, sponsored by the Nanaimo Alcohol and Drug Action Committee and the Youth Action Project, more than 150 concerned citizens worked together to create goals and solutions to the youth substance abuse problems in Nanaimo. With a focus on prevention, the conference included a public forum, workshop sessions, guest speakers and testimonials. "The wealth of caring individuals in this community is inspiring," said project co-ordinator Cathy Loewen. "The people who came to the conference really cared and were ready to help make a difference." [continues 331 words]
