Medical marijuana dispensaries should be permitted and regulated, rather than shut down by police. That is according to Marko Ivancicevic, a medical cannabis advocate and the former chair of Oshawa's accessibility advisory committee and the medical marijuana working group, who says that the businesses should be allowed to operate, rather than being shut down by police. "These medical cannabis dispensaries operate in such a way that they provide access to medication that's widely needed for, I'd say, approximately 4,000 to 5,000 medical patients within the Region of Durham," Ivancicevic told councillors during the latest meeting of regional council. [continues 734 words]
Medical marijuana dispensary opens downtown Those looking to smoke up for medical reasons now have another option closer to home. To little fanfare and no buildup, the GW Weed Emporium opened its doors on Simcoe Street between King and Dundas on April 1. And it was no joke - the store's display cabinets were filled with various strains of marijuana, as well as other products - such as chocolate, honey and soda - containing THC, the psychoactive component in cannabis, and other smoking paraphernalia. [continues 586 words]
Federal government starts the process of legalizing recreational marijuana use Canada is on the path to a legalized and regulated cannabis market, and for one UOIT professor, it's about time. "I've been hoping for this for years," Dr. Judith Grant, the director of UOIT's criminology program and an associate professor at the university, tells The Oshawa Express. "Here in Canada, we have the highest percentage of marijuana users in the world. Either decriminalize or legalize it, do one or the other, but for God's sake, stop mulling it over because you know you're eventually going to do it. And if you're going to do it, do it in the right way." [continues 934 words]
Marko Ivancicevic isn't afraid to admit that he's a regular marijuana smoker. Whether the former Oshawa resident is smoking in the garage of his new Pickering home or in public, Ivancicevic isn't bashful of smoking an illegal substance. Except for him, the substance isn't illegal - he has a prescription. Ivancicevic, who has been smoking marijuana medically for the past 12 years, has become an advocate for making the practice more acceptable and accessible, something he has learned the benefits of after switching from prescription drugs to marijuana. [continues 893 words]
744 Plants Found Spotting marijuana plants from the sky isn't difficult, says Sgt. Jeff Leder of the Halton Police guns and gangs unit, and it's a lot easier than hunting through thick brush on foot. That's where drones come in handy in the war on drugs. On Tuesday, officers used one of the unmanned aerial vehicles to locate 744 marijuana plants - with a street value of about $1,000 per plant - in a field in the north end of Milton. [continues 428 words]
