What legal recreational cannabis could look like in the Yukon come this summer has become a little less hazy. The territorial government presented a summary of its proposed legislation for the Cannabis Control and Regulation Act at a news conference Thursday afternoon. "The legislation is intended to provide for legal, controlled access to cannabis that displaces illegal and criminal activity and to prioritize public health and harm reduction," said Community Services Minister John Streicker, who will be responsible for the act once it is passed. [continues 1142 words]
The Yukon and British Columbia experienced the highest rates of apparent opioid-related deaths in Canada last year. According to a new national report from the federal government, the territory and province had a rate of over 15 deaths per 100,000 population compared to a national rate of 8.8 in 2016. "I don't think it's a surprise," Dr. Brendan Hanley, the Yukon's chief medical officer, told the Star of the findings this morning. He noted that the territory's high rates are driven by the five deaths officially linked to fentanyl since April 2016. [continues 624 words]
