Limit potency and amount for ages 21-25 Maple Ridge psychiatrist Dr. Biju Mathew is joining others in his profession in calling for the federal government to make legal age for smoking marijuana 21. "Marijuana shouldn't be used on kids below 25," Mathew said. The Cannabis Act, introduced by the federal government last week, calls for the minimum age forusing recreational marijuana to be 18, although provinces have the option to raise that. "They have [proposed to] legalized pot, and they've also come up with stricter regulations, but they have lowered the age to 18, which is very disturbing," Mathew, president of the B.C. Psychiatric Association, said of the federal government. [continues 622 words]
'Other provinces could get a head start' Reports the federal government is soon to release its laws on recreational pot has the NDP's Mike Farnworth awaiting the provincial response. "So far, we've not seen any work on this by the provincial government," said Farnworth, who's seeking re-election in Port Coquitlam. Last year, Farnworth, along with MLA Carole James, visited Washington, which legalized recreational marijuana in 2012, and Oregon, to learn about some of the issues. "How are they going to do the licensing? What type of edibles can be sold? What's the tax level going to look like?" [continues 737 words]
Editor, The News: I firmly agree with Larry Campbell's statement that "crime rates drop and addicts become more stable when [they receive] heroin from a doctor instead of a dealer or pimp" (Campbell, Boyd, & Culbert, 2009, p. 127). Dr. Martin Schechter of the University of British Columbia, provided Vancouver addicts with the first opportunity to receive medical-grade heroin administered by a doctor after he brought NAOMI (North American Opiate Medication Initiative) to life. He demonstrated that once people were stabilized by these treatments, they were "very orderly" (Campbell et al., 2009, p. 229). [continues 662 words]
We've now had a few years of the low-barrier, harm reduction approach to solving or coping with our widespread illicit drug use epidemic. Maybe it's now time to review what has been accomplished. Almost every public health official, provincial housing authority, city councillor, police officer and drug counsellor in this province openly acknowledge the growing tragedy of drug overdose deaths in British Columbia. According to Minister of Health Terry Lake, so far this year, more than 600 deaths in this province are attributable to overdoses of illicit drugs. He also cited the use of fentanyl as one of the leading factors in this tragedy. [continues 524 words]
The Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows school board is petitioning the province to have Narcan kits in B.C. high schools and middle schools. Trustee Susan Carr, who also leads the City of Maple Ridge's Strong Kids team, brought the issue to the board on Wednesday night, and it was supported by her colleagues. Narcan, and the drug Naloxone, is used to reverse the effects of opioids, and is being widely distributed by the province during the public health emergency created by the drug fentanyl. [continues 273 words]
Recently, following the death of a friend's son due to an overdose of fentanyl, I questioned, when will the hurting end? The answer to that question is still unclear, but hope is emerging that our community cares and is willing to work together to bring to an end the epidemic of drug overdose deaths. In the past, I have complained bitterly about drug use and drug trafficking in our downtown neighbourhood. But the time has come to put an end to the blame game and join the growing number of dedicated people who are earnestly seeking ways to solve the myriad of problems involved in this terrible ongoing tragedy. [continues 524 words]
The question Sherry Hebeler wanted answered Wednesday at the fentanyl forum in Maple Ridge was where was the help for her son when he needed it. Her son Bradley Porter, 33, died in a hospital washroom in November 2015, after apparently taking crystal meth that had been laced with fentanyl. He had been admitted to hospital and was addicted to painkillers, but had gone missing. "Nobody found him for two hours," Hebeler said, adding hospital security later found him. And three times previously when her son overdosed, when he was released from hospital, she had called police and asked that he be picked up on outstanding warrants. [continues 346 words]
Editor, The News: Re: 'Yes' to homeless shelter (Letters, Sept. 9). All I can say is "no" to the 'drug shelter.' It has nothing to do with helping the non-addicted homeless. The proposed structure has little to do with helping the 'homeless' and everything to do with providing housing, transitional housing, and treatment opportunities for drug addicts and people with severe mental disorders ... Drug addicts and those with severe mental disorders are not required to seek, or accept, help, live by any rules except their own or to change their lifestyle in any way. We are simply making their lives more comfortable while they are permitted more time to find ways to secure the drugs they crave, regardless of the affect on neighbors, local business, or the city ... Until the courts can demonstrate that the rights and security of society are more important than the rights of drug addicts to continue living their lives of destruction without any accountability for their acts, my answer will always be "no." Graham Mowatt Maple Ridge [end]
Editor, The News: Re: A sad, sorry never-ending story (Sidewinder, Sept. 2). I would like applaud Sandy Macdougall's article concerning the drug issue facing Maple Ridge. What a breath of fresh air to hear someone say that zero tolerance is a key factor on the success stories of recovering drug addicts. This may seem obvious, but I think it is lost on our leaders. Why don't we take a look at what does work. The Union Gospel Mission in downtown Vancouver provides food, shelter, clothing and many other resources to those who need it. The big difference is there is zero tolerance to any drugs on, in or around the property. [continues 354 words]
New Measures to Fight Plague of Overdoses in Region Two people die of a drug overdose every day in B.C., and almost three every month in Maple Ridge. With drug overdose deaths at emergency levels, the Fraser Health Authority will be considering supervised consumption services in Lower Mainland cities, among many measures. The most recent statistics from the B.C. Coroners Service show the number of illicit drug overdose deaths in the province is still alarming, and that the synthetic opioid fentanyl is a killer. [continues 632 words]
Maple Ridge will work with Fraser Health Fraser Health will identify priority sites for supervised drug consumption as part of a broader strategy to contain a surge in illicit drug overdoses, and Maple Ridge could be one. Fraser Health has to talk with the City of Maple Ridge first. "This is not something we've really ever talked about as a community," said Mayor Nicole Read. "It sounds like this is a decision that's been made by Fraser Health in response to an emerging situation that's a real crisis. Obviously, we're going to be working with Fraser Health however we can to deal with the situation in our own community. But what that looks like, I'm not sure yet." [continues 949 words]
Maple Ridge to Seek Injunction Like Abbotsford Maple Ridge is following Abbotsford's lead and seeking a court injunction to shut down one of the three medicinal marijuana stores in the city. Friday, Maple Ridge noted that a Supreme Court ruling found Weeds Glass and Gifts in Abbotsfordviolated a city bylaw by not securing a business licence before opening. "Maple Ridge is pursuing an injunction in the B.C. Supreme Court to shut down a similar Weeds Glass and Gifts store operation in Maple Ridge," said a news release Thursday. [continues 242 words]
By the end of next month, Maple Ridge firefighters will be rolling through town with a new tool to help save lives. The fire department's training personnel have now received instruction from B.C. Emergency Health Services on how to the administer Narcan, or naloxone, so they can pass on their training to the rest of 56 full-time and 60 paid-on-call firefighters. Narcan kits allow first responders, or even family and friends, to inject someone who's suffering a fentanyl or other opioid overdose. [continues 326 words]
My recent columns on B.C.'s struggle with the growing westward migration of transients have produced responses that fall mainly into two groups. The largest is people relieved that somebody is questioning the urban media narrative. That's the one where drifters, drug addicts, welfare shoppers and thieves are the victims and working people, whose hard-earned communities are being degraded, are the problem because of their selfish, uncaring attitudes. Then there are readers so marinated in our nanny-state education, media and political system they object to anything other than a big-government response. They tend to ask, what's your solution, Tom? [continues 511 words]
Tom Fletcher missed the bull's eye regarding cannabis (marijuana) implying (Bowing to the power of judges, March 1, 2016), it's an "inconsistent" herbal remedy that hasn't been studied much because it's been illegal. Government subsidized prohibitionists in North America have hindered research progress. However, the plant has been documented medically for over 5,000 years without a single death. That's safety and consistency on a Biblical scale. Stan White Dillon, Colorado [end]
Looking to get ahead of new federal laws Chris Fairfax is looking into the future and sees one where marijuana gets equal if not greater billing than alcohol. He's thinking about joining the ranks of stores that are selling medicinal, even recreational pot, providing he can do so legally. Fairfax, who owns The Wolf Bar on Lougheed Highway, told Maple Ridge council Tuesday that he pays $1,200 a year each for his business and liquor licences, that medicinal marijuana stores have no licences. [continues 758 words]
With unlicensed marijuana dispensaries popping up in urban areas and thousands of unregulated medical licences for home growing still in legal limbo, the Trudeau government is starting work on its promise to legalize recreational use. Marijuana was a media darling in the recent election, but meeting in Vancouver with provincial ministers last week, federal Health Minister Jane Philpott found herself preoccupied with issues deemed more urgent. These include shifting our post-war acute hospital model to community primary care, tackling aboriginal health care needs, pooling pharmaceutical purchases to slow rising costs, and meeting an urgent Supreme Court of Canada directive to legalize assisted dying. [continues 518 words]
Marijuana is still 'illegal' The operator of the third medicinal marijuana dispensary in Maple Ridge has met with Mayor Nicole Read and councillors and plans to continue operating under a "compassion club" model, until the new Liberal government legalizes the drug. Paul Hallelujah opened Weeds Glass and Gifts with partner Don Briere on 225th Avenue on Oct. 19, with the hope that newly elected Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will follow through on his promise of legalization. The downtown Maple Ridge shop was soon visited by bylaw enforcement officers, who ticketed him for operating without a business licence. [continues 444 words]
'Location of properties should be made public' Cities and the people who live within them, should be able to have a say in where medical marijuana operations set up within their boundaries, says the mayor of Maple Ridge. "It should be a formal requirement that Health Canada make the location of these potential sites known to the public and hold a public meeting and consider the comments of our citizens in determining if such a facility should be considered for licensing in our city," Nicole Read said in a release Friday. [continues 447 words]
But City Isn't Changing Bylaw, Yet A Kelowna lawyer is urging the City of Pitt Meadows to rethink its bylaw prohibiting the production of medical marijuana within municipal boundaries. Jennifer Thorne, a criminal defense lawyer, is representing a client who wants to start a medical marijuana facility in Pitt Meadows. Thorne said because of the sensitive nature of the issue, the client wants to remain anonymous. Thorne sent a letter to Pitt Meadows council on March 23 and says the bylaw is "likely unconstitutional," that it infringes upon certain agricultural rights under the Right To Farm Act. [continues 478 words]
