Sean Desrochers, hit the bull's-eye exposing prohibition as a harmful failure. Especially exposing the luciferous prohibition and extermination of cannabis, which isn't even a drug but rather a plant. In fact another reason to stop caging humans for using cannabis that doesn't get mentioned is because it is Biblically correct since God, The Ecologician indicates He created all the seed bearing plants saying they are all good, on literally the very first page (see Genesis 1:11-12 and 29-30). The only Biblical restriction placed on cannabis is to accept it with thankfulness (1 Timothy 4:1-5). Ending cannabis prohibition is one of the most important issues of our time. - -Stan White Dillon, Colo. [end]
Canadian Students for SENSIBLE DRUG POLICY? is a Canada wide student and youth led grassroots organization aimed at promoting drug policy in line with public health, academic evidence and harm reduction. This is the first year that the University of Lethbridge has had a chapter and I recently had the great pleasure of representing Lethbridge at this year's national conference at the University of Toronto. The topic of the weekend revolved around the question "oewhat is a sensible drug policy?" . Dr. Craig Jones, the former executive of the John Howard Society of Canada, in his keynote address gave a succinct summation of the problems facing drug policy today, and why this is fundamentally a social justice issue which concerns all Canadians. Dr. Jones argued for re-regulation as an alternative to prohibition. [continues 440 words]
In the murky depths of the Amazon, there is a rare combination of vine and plant geneses, when combined, they are among one of the most powerful hallucinogens known to man. Its many forms, which vary from brewer to brewer, are known as ayahuasca. The drug conjures up images of fantastical and illusionary worlds, gives the sensation of visiting magical cities and generally invokes a state of being which most of us will never know. Though similar to psilocybin (magic mushrooms) and LSD (acid), it has birthed some fantastical practices in the greater Amazonian area. [continues 426 words]
Rachel Notley, the NDP MLA from Edmonton-Strathcona, demanded last month that the provincial government launch an investigation of the controversial Alberta Adolescent Recovery Centre (AARC). Former AARC patients have raised allegations of various abuses within the facility, including sexual assault. When questioned about AARC by Liberal MLA Harry Chase, government took no responsibility for the alleged criminal abuses occurring at the facility, despite admission by Health Minister Ron Liepert that the facility receives "about $300 000" of annual provincial funding. CBC News later reported that the centre receives $400 000 annually. [continues 524 words]
Canadian soldiers deployed in Afghanistan will now be ordered to target civilian producers and traffickers of illegal opiates in cases where there is evidence of links to the Taliban. "Alliance members, including Canada, decided at the NATO defence minister's meeting in Budapest that [the International Security Assistance Force] may carry out direct operations against the narcotics industry," Laurie Hawn, Parliamentary Secretary to Canada's Defence Minister, confirmed last week. The decision to target non-combatants in the drug industry was hotly debated among NATO members before the order to proceed was passed down the chain of command. One of the criticisms of the newly instated policy is that it constitutes a breach of international law, which prohibits the use of military force against civilians, regardless of suspected criminal activity. The Geneva Conventions, for example, prohibit the use of "violence to life and person" against "persons taking no active part in the hostilities." [continues 387 words]
The ULSU presents an awareness week geared towards issues of sex and substance use. Beginning Monday morning and lasting through Thursday evening, the ULSU will be hosting events designed to stimulate student discourse on aspects of student life, specifically sex, sexual health, use of drugs and alcohol, and abuse of drugs and alcohol.It all wraps up with a concert at the Zoo, featuring up-and-comers Chad VanGaalen and Michael Bernard Fitzgerald. It's about SEX.. Sex is simply a part of student life. Young people feel both biological and social pressures to engage in sex. Sexual relations among young people can be random, and detrimental to one's health; they can be awkward, or embarrassing; they also can be meaningful, beautiful and fulfilling. These sexual outcomes - like all outcomes - are reflections of the choices one has made. Usually, the best choices are made when one has a good understanding about oneself and the situation at hand. [continues 1181 words]
News sources all over the world were launched into a frenzy this past weekend after a photo was printed in a shady British tabloid depicting fourteen-time Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps smoking marijuana. Phelps' use of marijuana appeared on the front pages of scores of Canadian newspapers, including the Globe and Mail, Canada's largest national daily. Because of the attention devoted to the American athlete, stories affecting the lives of Canadians failed to achieve front-page status. Canadian news sources turned Phelps' criminal act into a major news story, despite widespread acceptance of marijuana use in Canada. Survey research indicates that over 90 per cent of Canadians support the decriminalization of marijuana possession, and over 50 per cent support legalization of the drug. [continues 209 words]
From the Archives The medicinal use of Cannabis goes back around 4 000 years. In 1550 BC, the Ebers Papyrus (Ancient Egypt) described the medical uses of marijuana. The Ebers Papyrus is one of the oldest medical documents. Some its contents describe remedies for everything for stomach problems to asthma. Numerous texts from ancient Egypt, India, China, and the Middle East make reference to the medicinal properties of marijuana. In the 1800s, Irish doctor William Brook O' Shaughnessy conducted an experiment to study the effects of marijuana on animals to show Western colleagues its healing properties. During the nineteenth century, medical cannabis became common throughout most of the world and, until the invention of aspirin, it was the world's leading pain reliever. O' Shaughnessy and others led the way for scientific inquiry into the drug, using it to treat melancholia, migraines, sleep deprivation, muscle spasms, stomach cramps and pain. Cannabis began to lose its popularity in North America during the formation of the 1937 Marijuana Tax Act (US). [continues 954 words]
In the Atrium on Tuesday, January 18, at 12:00 p.m. a function was held called Marijuana Myths and Facts, to help promote student awareness about the usage of the drug. It was part of Tobacco Reduction week, hosted by the Students for Tobacco Reduction. Lunch was provided for those who attended and the students walking past on their commute to class cried out "free!" when they saw the stacks of sandwiches. Those in attendance were enthusiastic and about half of the seats were full. [continues 178 words]
"Some of the topic we will be discussing today will deal with civil liberties, women's rights, the full legalization of Cannabis, and the harms of prohibition." This controversial topic started off a two hour-long presentation at Lethbridge Community College on Thursday, March 25th. Marc Emery was scheduled to be there as part of his Canada wide tour, but he was arrested a few days prior in Saskatchewan. He wanted to speak about how to have a voice in government, but his arrest meant that Sarah Schmitt and Charlie Christianson, a few like-minded friends, spoke in his place. [continues 665 words]
Legislation to decriminalize marijuana possession was reintroduced into Parliament earlier this month, but both friends and foes of the drug are criticizing the bill. The legislation, first introduced in March of 2003, died when Parliament adjourned in November, and spent some time with a special committee before being brought back to the House. Since its last reading, the bill has been amended to reduce penalties and eliminate jail time for those caught with one to three marijuana plants. Robin Ellis is the proprietor of the Friendly Stranger and Cannabis Culture Shop, an activist organization dedicated to changing the laws surrounding cannabis use. He says they're a little frustrated. [continues 328 words]
Here it is, the marijuana debate. In Canada it is a highly controversial subject. The United Kingdom beat Canada to the punch on October 29th, by downgrading marijuana to a class C drug, making arrests only possible in aggravating situations, like smoking it near a school or playground. Canada has similar legislation on the table to decriminalize marijuana possession. This is not to be confused with legalization; decriminalization means that no criminal record will be kept for possession, but fines will still be handed out. These fines will be $150 for an adult and $100 for a youth, if the pot in possession does not exceed 15 grams and there are no aggravating factors. [continues 639 words]
