The smell of hot dogs and cannabis lingered in the air outside of City Hall on Saturday, as more than 50 marijuana legalization advocates gathered on the building's front lawn to celebrate the Global Marijuana March. The local march began at Vimy Memorial and culminated with a barbecue at City Hall, which was sponsored by the Saskatchewan Marijuana Party. The mood at the late afternoon gathering was mellow, but there was no mistaking the politicized nature of the event. Cannabis flags blew in the breeze and placards read "No U.S. Drug War in Canada" and "Repeal Cannabis Prohibition." Leaders of the Saskatchewan Marijuana Party wanted to spread the message that cannabis prohibition is an issue affecting all Canadians. [continues 184 words]
It's Been A Gloomy Month For Local Safe Injection Site Advocates. September kicked off with Health Canada refusing to "entertain" applications for the establishment of new safe injection sites until the end of 2007. This decision, which directly effects Victoria's pending application for its own safe injection site, emerged when the Conservative government addressed the future of Insite, Vancouver's safe injection site that was established as a pilot project in 2003. Insite was born when Health Canada, under the Liberal government, granted the site operators a three-year exemption from the federal drug laws and $500,000 annually in operational costs; however, with the exemption ending mid-September, the Conservatives were forced to take a stand on this controversial issue. [continues 423 words]
West Shore Workshops, Programs Given A Boost News about the hazards of the newest and most destructive demon drug is set to reach West Shore families in the upcoming school year. Educational programs and workshops are part of the West Shore Crystal Meth Society's plan to deliver its message before the drug becomes a full-blown problem. "We're putting the final touches on our plans," said task force member Dianna Seaton. "Our goal is to reach out to as many families as possible. We want to enable the parents to help their kids." [continues 492 words]
In town for a short media-blitz, federal NDP leader Jack Layton praised Victoria for combating global warming by promoting sustainable transportation. But on the potential for a safe-injection site in Victoria under Prime Minister Stephen Harper's Conservative government, Layton's tone sobered. "We're not optimistic," Layton said before pausing to sip on a local brew at FolkFest's Bayou Bar. The widely supported safe-injection site initiative would require an exemption from federal drugs laws, a precedent set by the safe-injection site in Vancouver's downtown eastside. [continues 632 words]
In town for a short media-blitz, Jack Layton touted Greater Victoria's horn for combating global warming by promoting sustainable transportation. But on the potential for a safe-injection site in the city under the Harper government, his tone sobered. "We're not optimistic," said the leader of the federal New Democrats, before pausing to sip on a local brew at Folkfest's Bayou Bar. A safe-injection site in Victoria, which would require an exemption from federal drugs laws to get up and running, would follow the precedent set by the safe-injection site in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. [continues 659 words]
April's limbs twist and jolt as she claws at her skin through an oversized stained gray sweatshirt. Her babbling reveals disconnected thoughts: Joy over her baby daughter darkens into a psychotic rant about her ex who abandoned her and their daughter. She cries out and pulls her hair, as sanity slips away. This moment is one of many in a theatrical production called Crystal Clear that rendered the audience at the Victoria Native Friendship Centre wide-eyed with horror. In the production, the lives of four aboriginal youth spin out of control in a disastrous crystal methamphetamine binge. [continues 524 words]
The name is Jane, Mary Jane. And I had this friend named Kenny. You see, I can be your best friend just like I was his. You will learn to love me like he did and you will find it necessary to have me around. You will learn to hold me safely, right between your fingers and, at the tip of your tongue, I will remain. He was addicted to me and always had to have me around. He kept me wrapped in white paper and tinfoil, and stored in his pocket. I was safe until he flicked the switch and up into flames I burst with a little puff. [continues 703 words]
VICTORIA The Victoria region is in the midst of a hepatitis C health crisis, says front-line community worker Carol Romanow. And although the potentially deadly virus can be contracted much the same as AIDS - by direct contact with the blood of an infected person - it is even more prevalent than AIDS among local injection drug users. "Hep C tends to be even more readily transmissible," said Murray Fyfe, the Vancouver Island Health Authority's health officer of communicable diseases, noting the biggest risk factor is sharing infected needles. "The prevalence of hep C infection is higher than it is for HIV." [continues 539 words]
To the editor: A smile of chagrin erupted when I read your article "2004 a better year for Drive's law-abiding citizens," Oct 24. While the supposed street level improvements to the Commercial Drive area between "Venables to just south of 12th" sounds like a great accomplishment for all of the businesses peddling cheap sustenance, I am sad to say that the increased police presence in this area has not solved anything for the blocks around the SkyTrain station, which have become a relative utopia for street level activities such as open drug dealing and open drug use. [continues 259 words]
Although smoking marijuana is illegal, Campus Security and the Saanich Police turn a blind eye when the Hempology 101 Club meets at 4:20 p.m. every Wednesday and clouds of smoke rise over Petch Fountain. "It is not on our radar. We have much bigger problems to deal with: sexual assaults, violence and rapes," said Hunter McDonald, Director of Campus Security. "If you look at the problems we have, they don't involve kids smoking dope at the fountain." Chris Horsley, media relations officer for the Saanich Police, said, "The police department is still very concerned with drug use on campus." Nevertheless, marijuana use on and off campus is something Horsley believes has not had a lot of police attention in the last few years. "The police have to look at the bigger issues of public safety and public harm," said Horsley. [continues 588 words]
