Lambton County trains managers as local governments brace for expected challenges SARNIA - With Canada ready to legalize marijuana by next July, Ontario municipalities are ablaze with activity prepping for the impacts of that move - including in the workplace. Lambton County recently held a training session for its 75 managers about marijuana and workplace safety. Among the chief municipal concerns are the potential for workers to believe it's legal for them to smoke marijuana on municipal property, as well as the potential for impaired driving if a high worker operates a municipal vehicle. [continues 350 words]
With Canada ready to legalize marijuana by next July, Ontario municipalities are ablaze with activity prepping for the impacts of that move - including in the workplace. The County of Lambton recently held a training session for its 75 managers about marijuana and workplace safety. Among the chief municipal concerns around legalization include the potential for workers to believe it's legal for them to smoke marijuana on municipal property, as well as the potential for impaired driving if a high worker operates a municipal vehicle. [continues 560 words]
Lambton College students pack lunch-hour federal election debate Sarnia-Lambton Conservative Marilyn Gladu veered slightly from her party's tough-on-drugs platform Thursday by endorsing the decriminalization of marijuana during a student-organized debate. "I don't want to see people taking up time in our court system for having a couple of joints, so I would support that," she said when asked for her stance on decriminalization at Thursday's Calling All Candidates debate. Three of the four Sarnia-Lambton federal candidates - with the exception of Liberal Dave McPhail - admitted to trying marijuana at least once in their lives during a lightning round of questions at the debate hosted at Lambton College. [continues 550 words]
For Max*, the downward spiral of addiction started off slowly and at supposedly the most innocent of times, when he was in elementary school. He started off experimenting with tobacco and marijuana around the tender age of 12. "By the time he was involved in high school, he was in full gear," recalled his father, Sean, who asked that his last name not be used to protect the identity of his son. Max - an intelligent kid who grew up on the north side of Sarnia - then progressed to abusing prescription drugs with his friends. [continues 506 words]
New drug awareness program geared for 8 to 11-year-olds in Sarnia- Lambton For Max*, the downward spiral of addiction started off slowly and at supposedly the most innocent of times, when he was in elementary school. He started off experimenting with tobacco and marijuana around the tender age of 12. "By the time he was involved in high school, he was in full gear," recalled his father Sean, who asked that his last name not be used to protect the identity of his son. [continues 524 words]
Veterans Park Being Used for Drug Deals, Neighbour Says Sick and tired of watching drug deals in her neighbourhood park, a downtown Sarnia resident is putting those responsible on notice. On a scrap of cardboard, the woman - who asked not to be identified out of fear of retaliation - has called out neighbourhood drug dealers, pinning the message onto a bench in Veterans Park this weekend. "To all the scum, selling & dealing drugs on this bench & in our Veteran's (sic) Park, the same people that fought & died to save our country...you are all being video'd & watched! The Neighbourhood," the sign reads. [continues 369 words]
SARNIA - If you ask local public high school teachers what their top concern is for student wellness, the answer may be different than what you'd expect to hear. Substance use has been ranked the top socio-emotional concern for local students, according to a recent survey of Lambton Kent District School Board high school teachers. And this perspective certainly seems to be in line with students. A sample of high school students also ranked substance use as their top concern, said Lori Brush, the board's mental health lead. [continues 371 words]
TILLSONBURG - LANGTON - Ask today's teenagers if there are drugs swirling in their schools. Most will likely nod their heads in acknowledgement, but they will have only little information - or perceptions gleaned from the media - about the touchy subject. Just ask Kendra Skinner, a Grade 11 student, who completed an online quiz on drugs at Valley Heights Secondary School yesterday. She was surprised to learn that there are more than 400 chemicals in marijuana. A new educational website, however, is hoping to shed some light on drug fact and fiction. The portal - thechillzone.ca - is an initiative of the Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit. It features detailed information on major drugs, how to handle peer pressure and knowledge games in the hope of providing a "constant message to the teens," said Michelle Pasichnyk, health promoter with the local unit. There is also information for parents, such as a list of warning signs of drug abuse and how to broach the difficult subject. [continues 335 words]
Grower Says Police Are Going Too Far Delhi grower Rick West believes local police are building a "mountain over a marijuana hill" after two residents en route from his medical marijuana information centre were stopped. West claims that a Norfolk OPP officer questioned two local women -- one being a medical marijuana cardholder -- after they left his King Street shop in Delhi on Tuesday night. They had only stopped in to pick up some paperwork, so the other woman could apply for her authorization to possess pot, he explained. However, he claims that the women were shortly stopped after by a police officer around 6 p.m. Reportedly, the officer questioned and then lectured them about marijuana. [continues 365 words]
Delhi grower Rick West believes local police are building a "mountain over a marijuana hill" after two residents en route from his medical marijuana information centre were stopped. West claims that a Norfolk OPP officer questioned two local women -- one being a medical marijuana cardholder -- after they left his King Street shop in Delhi on Tuesday night. They had only stopped in to pick up some paperwork, so the other woman could apply for her authorization to possess pot, he explained. However, he claims that the women were shortly stopped after by a police officer around 6 p.m. Reportedly, the officer questioned and then lectured them about marijuana. [continues 366 words]
A new joint promoting the giggling weed is blossoming on one of Delhi's main drags in an effort to plant the seed of education about medical marijuana. Over the last handful of days, Norfolk grower Rick West and his crew with his business Highly Recommended Plus have been busy tending to a King Street store that is being transformed into an information centre. Once the small storefront is renovated, it will be a safe place for doctors and interested residents to chalk up on their weed wisdom. [continues 623 words]
