With the legalization of cannabis only a few months away, one of Canadaas top medical organizations is warning women about the risks the drug poses if used during pregnancy and breastfeeding. According to the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada, marijuana use can lead to preterm birth and low birth weight, as well as lower IQ and hyperactivity after a child is born. aWe want to make sure women understand just because itas legal doesnat mean itas safe,a said Jocelynn Cook, chief scientific officer with the SOGC. aThe science does suggest there are effects on pregnancy and on fetal development.a [continues 309 words]
We based [ our recommendation] on available medical and scientific literature and the concerns we had. Jeff Blackmer VP of medical professionalism at the Canadian Medical Association Members of Canada's medical community are disappointed over a federal task force's recommendation to allow cannabis sales to those 18 and over, with some warning unrestricted access could have a detrimental impact on developing brains. As the government moves toward legalization, it also faces the enormous challenge of combatting the widely held mistaken belief that marijuana is harmless, according to a number of medical organizations and substance use experts. [continues 636 words]
A Globe and Mail investigation is raising alarming questions about the safety of cannabis being sold illegally in unregulated dispensaries. But for the thousands of Canadians who use regulated and tested medical cannabis, there is another urgent issue researchers are scrambling to address: Does it work? Background and regulations Health Canada has not approved the use of medical cannabis, but a court ruling requires the government to "provide reasonable access to a legal source of marijuana when authorized by a health-care practitioner." [continues 716 words]
Leading public-health and addiction specialists are condemning plans by Canada's largest drugstore chain to investigate the idea of selling marijuana, calling it a profit-motivated move that would have devastating effects. The Globe and Mail reported on Tuesday that Shoppers Drug Mart is exploring the possibility of selling marijuana in its stores. According to people involved in the discussions, the company has held meetings with licensed medical-marijuana producers. It also has not ruled out a move into selling marijuana for recreational purposes. Currently, pharmacies are not permitted to sell medical marijuana, but the federal government has promised to legalize the drug, which could open the market. [continues 518 words]
There is little evidence supporting the use of medical cannabis in children and most front-line doctors should not be prescribing the drug to young people, the Canadian Pediatric Society ( CPS) warns in a new policy statement. Michael Rieder, chair of the society's drug therapy and hazardous substances committee and author of the new statement, says the federal government should "revisit" the status of medical marijuana to improve how it is prescribed and research what regulatory system would work best. [continues 192 words]
Canadian experts want policy-makers to rethink perception of these medications to let research advance, but others urge caution Psychedelic drugs, including LSD and MDMA, could help some patients struggling with addiction, post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety, according to a new analysis that urges Canadian policy- makers to reconsider their perception of those drugs. The analysis, published Tuesday in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, says several small studies show psychedelics may be effective at treating certain patients, but that "popular misconceptions" about the risks of the drugs are hampering research efforts. The authors argue that any novel treatment that may ease the symptoms of PTSD, addiction or anxiety should be explored, especially considering the limitations of available treatments. [continues 584 words]
Tobacco is addictive, dangerous and responsible for thousands of deaths in Canada each year. Imagine if the federal government tried to deal with that massive threat by making tobacco illegal and throwing anyone caught with a cigarette in jail. Would that put a stop to smoking? Or simply drive it underground and tie up valuable resources trying to enforce a ban destined to fail? The answer, of course, is the latter. And that's why Canada has, over the course of decades, invested in strategies that work: restricting sale of tobacco to minors, banning cigarette advertisements and sponsorships, even prohibiting retail displays of tobacco products in stores. Across the country, smoking rates have fallen dramatically and awareness of the dangers of tobacco is high. [continues 785 words]
Physicians Must Authorize Use of Marijuana, but a Lack of Research into Drug's Benefits Makes It Difficult to Know When to Prescribe The College of Family Physicians of Canada has created new guidelines to help doctors determine if and when a patient should have access to marijuana to treat chronic pain or anxiety. The college's recommendations advise doctors to only approve access to medical marijuana for treatment of pain in patients who haven't responded to other treatments, and say it is not appropriate for people under 25, those with a personal or family history of psychosis and those with a substance abuse disorder. The recommendations - which are not binding - also say medical marijuana is not appropriate therapy for insomnia or anxiety. [continues 530 words]
Imagine the sight: crowds of people smoking marijuana openly in public with no fear of handcuffs being slapped on them. It may sound strange, but that's exactly what unfolded in Washington State early Thursday as throngs celebrated a new law that officially makes marijuana legal there. But don't expect the streets of Seattle to be filled with puffs of blue smoke any time soon. As Reuters reports, smoking marijuana in public will remain off-limits, just like the public consumption of alcohol in that state. However, police officers have been instructed to issue warnings to those breaking the rules, not arrest them - at least for now. [continues 294 words]
The senior medical officers of two provinces are urging the federal government to scrap controversial mandatory minimum sentences and use scientific evidence to create drug policies that work. Provincial Health Officer Perry Kendall of British Columbia and Chief Public Health Officer Robert Strang of Nova Scotia were the co-authors of an analysis published on Wednesday in the journal Open Medicine questioning Canada's aggressive regulation of illicit drugs, an expensive pursuit that they say has been a dismal failure. In short, it is time to stop treating illicit drug use as solely an issue of crime and look at it more as a serious health issue. [continues 545 words]
Daily alcohol consumption, marijuana smoking and psychological distress rates among adults are on the rise, potentially troubling trends that could have major health implications, a new report warns. The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto released a survey Monday that found a growing number of Ontario adults are drinking alcohol every day, using cannabis and reporting symptoms associated with poor mental health. The survey also found that a growing number of young people are drinking and driving, a serious concern that warrants attention, according to the report. While fewer than 8 per cent of 18- to 29-year-olds reported driving within an hour of having two drinks in 2005, that rate rose to nearly 13 per cent in 2009. [continues 658 words]
Smokers who light up an occasional joint may be putting themselves at a dramatically higher risk of developing chronic lung disease, according to a new study by Canadian researchers. The findings indicate that marijuana, even in small doses, seems to accelerate the harmful effects of smoking and greatly boosts respiratory problems and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The disease, which is often caused by smoking, actually encompasses a few disorders, including chronic bronchitis and emphysema. People with COPD often have difficulty breathing and shortness of breath, and experience increased coughing. It's one of the leading causes of death in Canada. [continues 497 words]
Vancouver's safe-injection site will save the health-care system at least $14-million and prevent more than 1,000 HIV infections over a 10-year period, according to a new study about the controversial program. The study, published today in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, is the latest piece of research to suggest the potential social benefit of Insite in helping curb substance abuse, and reducing the spread of hepatitis C, HIV and other infectious diseases. "We were a bit surprised. The model really suggests that there are very considerable benefits," said Ahmed Bayoumi, lead author and scientist at the Centre for Research on Inner City Health in Toronto. [end]
Ice-cold beer probably won't be the only mood-altering substance on the menu in many backyards across Canada this summer. An increasing number of adults - particularly those in their 30s and 40s - are using marijuana, according to a new Ontario-wide report that reflects what experts describe as a growing cross-country trend. Canadians in their late teens and early 20s are usually considered the predominant pot-smoking demographic. But the average age of marijuana users in Ontario was 31 in 2005, compared with 26 in 1977, according to a report released yesterday by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. The report found that 40 per cent of those surveyed in 2005 who reported smoking pot in the previous year were between 30 and 49. In 1977, that number was just 15.4 per cent. [continues 602 words]
Day Said Aware Of The Issue OTTAWA - Opposition parties are calling on the Conservative government to answer "disturbing questions" over allegations of potential abuse of the Witness Protection Program by an RCMP agent, as well as concerns over its secrecy and lack of accountability. "We don't know if there's systemic issues here, or if it's isolated," Liberal public safety critic Sue Barnes said yesterday. "I think it raises some disturbing questions about the operations of the Witness Protection Program." [continues 431 words]
Group Accuses Tories Of Discrimination OTTAWA -Medical-marijuana users are being unfairly targeted by the Conservative government's new drug-driving legislation, which will increase penalties and make it easier for police to crack down on people who do drugs before getting behind the wheel, a national advocacy group warned Wednesday. "This law, we feel, would unfairly target marijuana users," said Russell Barth, a medical-marijuana user and member of the National Capital Reformers. "Discriminating against us based on our medication ... is much like discriminating against us based on the colour of our skin." [continues 225 words]
OTTAWA -- Regular medical marijuana users are being unfairly targeted by the Conservative government's new drug-driving legislation, which will increase penalties and make it easier for police to crack down on people who do drugs before getting behind the wheel, a national advocacy group warned yesterday. "This law, we feel, would unfairly target marijuana users," said Russell Barth, a medical marijuana user and member of the National Capital Reformers. "Discriminating against us based on our medication . is much like discriminating against us based on the colour of our skin." [continues 246 words]
Proposed Law To Crack Down On Those Who Smoke Pot And Drive Is Unfair To Medical Marijuana Users, National Advocacy Group Warns OTTAWA - Regular medical marijuana users are being unfairly targeted by the Conservative government's new drug-driving legislation, which will increase penalties and make it easier for police to crack down on people who do drugs before getting behind the wheel, a national advocacy group warned Wednesday. "This law, we feel, would unfairly target marijuana users," said Russell Barth, a medical marijuana user and member of the National Capital Reformers. "Discriminating against us based on our medication . . . is much like discriminating against us based on the colour of our skin." [continues 259 words]
Study Discovers Systematic Shift Away From Heroin Forget heroin. Legal prescription drugs readily available in pharmacies are now the major source of illicit opioid drug abuse in several major Canadian cities, which raises questions about drug control in the country, a new study released today reveals. Although heroin addiction has been one of the most significant drug problems in Canada for years, research shows users are turning to opioids, or prescription painkillers such as Oxycontin, Percocet and morphine, at an increasing rate. [continues 354 words]
Forget heroin. Legal prescription drugs readily available in pharmacies are now the major source of illicit opioid drug abuse in several major Canadian cities, which raises questions about drug control in the country, a new study released today reveals. Research shows users are turning to opioids, or prescription painkillers such as Oxycontin, Percocet and morphine, at an increasing rate. Heroin addiction has been one of the most significant drug problems in Canada for years. "The intensity of the shift surprised me quite a bit," said Dr. Benedikt Fischer, study author and addictions researcher at the Centre for Addictions Research of British Columbia. "This study, for the first time, shows that systematically, and I would not have assumed, this is such a dramatic shift." [continues 160 words]
