A Brampton councillor wants the city to clamp down on licensed marijuana grow operations in residential neighbourhoods. "Even though there are legal marijuana grow operations happening in residential communities, the municipality has no legislative authority to inspect them for safety and compliance," said Regional Coun. Gael Miles. Miles won support on a motion at the Nov. 16 Community Services meeting directing staff to research what legislative powers the municipality can enact to counteract what she described "as a growing concern locally." [continues 289 words]
Data from a recent survey by Peel's health services department suggests more youth are using illicit drugs than lighting up cigarettes and young drivers may be more likely to get behind the wheel of a car stoned than drunk. The data comes from results of a 2013 survey conducted by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. Findings were presented to Peel Region council earlier this month. The Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey is conducted every two years in communities across the province. [continues 499 words]
BRAMPTON - While narrating the story of his famous fight with Muhammad Ali in 1966, boxing legend George Chuvalo, 76, simply cannot hide his glee. Apparently, Ali-who won most of his bouts by knocking out his opponents - could not topple Big George. Chuvalo, ended up losing that epic tussle, however because he did a fair job of absorbing Ali's jabs and punches, a nonchalant Chuvalo was able to go dancing with his wife whereas Ali had to be hospitalized. "He (Ali) reportedly "peed blood" for a week," said Chuvalo with a chuckle. [continues 514 words]
A short while ago I had the chance to cover a story about the use of drugs in high schools and the findings disturb me. Many questions are stuck in my head. I cannot understand why a kid could be so cruel to him or herself. A study done by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health shows alcohol, high-caffeine energy drinks, cannabis and cigarettes are in high demand among youth. The survey's figures in 2011 show that 58.6 per cent of students have consumed alcohol, with 54.9 per cent in the past 12 months, excluding those who just tried it. [continues 407 words]
On Sunday, April 8, religious leaders from Christianity, Hinduism, Islam and Sikhism will hold a public seminar to discuss the topic of How to Save Our Children, Our Next Generation in regards to drug and alcohol abuse. "Drug and alcohol abuse is obviously one of the major issues that society faces today," said Khalid Mahmood, organizer of the event. "We try to focus in on the main issues, and obviously drugs and alcohol are major challenges to deal with." The event is being organized by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama'at of Brampton Peel Village Canada, an organization based on the Ahmadi denomination of the Islam faith. [continues 220 words]
(Brampton) - Peel Public Health today introduced a new website for parents looking to obtain information and resources for talking to children about drugs. The website, www.talkaboutdrugs.ca, provides information that could only previously be obtained in print form. "With many Peel students admitting to have tried marijuana before entering high school, we realize how important it is to equip parents with the tools to communicate with teens about substance abuse as early as they see fit," says Elizabeth Amorim, Supervisor of the Alcohol, Drugs and Addictions team. "Parents asked us for quick and easy access to information. They want information they can trust at their fingertips. This website enables us to provide that." [continues 194 words]
Barb Davies makes some interesting points in her letter, Drug paraphernalia in stores, in The Guardian's Oct. 11 edition. But as a federal medical marijuana license holder, who is also married to a license holder, I think I can clarify a few things. I would like to point out that those glass pipes can also be used for smoking medical marijuana. To forbid the sale of these devices would violate the Charter Rights of people who use cannabis for medical reasons. [continues 147 words]
As a health-care professional working in Brampton, I see the effects on a unhealthy lifestyle on a daily basis. Part of my practice is health teaching on how to quit smoking, developing a more healthy balanced lifestyle. However, I'm beginning to see a really disturbing trend in our community-- glass "pipes" being sold in convenience stores in our community. I've seen them in stores close to schools, close to fast food stores, always where there seems to be an influx of young people. [continues 162 words]
Police Doing What They Can To Clean Up Downtown Core Some Brampton husbands are coming home to their wives without their cars-- and with a lot of explaining to do. Seizing a "john's" vehicle on the spot is the latest twist in the war against street prostitution in downtown Brampton, according to Peel police Vice Unit detectives. It is now the price men-- most of them married-- will pay for trying to buy sex on the street in Brampton. However, the potential to contract the highly contagious Hepatitis C virus or other communicable diseases is the price their families could end up paying, according to Vice Det. Randy Cowan. [continues 1111 words]
I am writing to find what the mayor of Brampton has to say about the areas around Brampton that are used for drug buys, streetwalkers, johns, and who knows what else. There is a certain area of Brampton which seems to attract this kind of activity that normal citizens can not walk down the street, without been propositioned, honked at, cars slowing down to take a look, and the secretive deals that go on at the corners of the streets, and behind the apartment buildings. [continues 96 words]
Peers Mediate Some Conflicts Since peer pressure has such a significant influence on the actions of teenagers, other teens can play a powerful role in helping fellow students make safe choices about drugs and violence. Panelists participating in a St. Augustine Secondary School community forum on safety, violence and drug prevention said there is great value in peer mediation and intervention. The recent panel discussion was organized and presented by the school council. Parents, students and staff were invited to the community forum to hear a police officer, youth outreach worker, education consultant and mediator and students speak about safety, violence and drug prevention issues. The audience of about 25 also had an opportunity to ask the panelists questions. [continues 408 words]
The disappearance of 300 kg of marijuana destined for delivery by truck to the United States from a Springdale home earlier this month appears to have been the motive behind the kidnapping and beating of Brampton truck driver Balkar Singh last Friday. The smuggling of marijuana and possibly other drugs across the border by transport truck appears to be at the heart of the case, according to police sources. Police believe the drug runners' search for the stolen marijuana led to Singh's abduction and beating, The Brampton Guardian has learned. [continues 496 words]
The year 2005 in Toronto can best be described as the year of the gun. There were 52 gun related killings in the city. Toronto has had its share of tragic events with SARS and most recently Legionnaire's disease. Instead of Toronto the good, it is Toronto the bad. Something must be done to stop the gun violence in Toronto. I believe the blame must be placed squarely on the Politicians. They have sat by idly while thugs and killers roam the streets at will. It is time for them to wake up. [continues 132 words]
People should feel safe and secure in their homes, places of work and communities. This is a basic principle. Safe communities are strong communities. And it is strong communities that build a prosperous Ontario. Our government has always placed a high premium in making our communities safer. That's why, during the election, we promised to help municipalities hire 1,000 new police officers across the province. With a recent announcement by Monte Kwinter, the Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services, I'm happy to say we're delivering on that promise. [continues 533 words]
Peel's Green Team Has Its Work Cut Out For It. The special five-member Peel police drug squad spends its time trying to keep a lid on the number of residential homes being turned into multi-million dollar marijuana factories. Police raided two more Brampton houses recently where they seized more than 1,000 plants with a total street value of more than $1 million. The same scenario plays out close to 200 times a year in Brampton and Mississauga. [continues 579 words]
The sexual activeness, drug use, eating habits and other health related attitudes of local adolescents revealed in a survey are being used to plan and fine tune regional health services. The Region of Peel's Health Department developed the School Health Assessment Survey that was administered to students in Grades 7 to 12 last the spring and fall of 2004. Regional officials recently released the survey results gathered from 7,853 Peel District School Board and Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board students. [continues 602 words]
That we're reading about four Alberta Mounties killed during a raid on a pothouse rather than four Peel Regional Police officers is nothing but luck. After all, rarely a week goes by in Peel that another marijuana grow house isn't taken down by police. And although there have been no significant local injuries, police regularly find weapons and booby traps on the houses they raid in Brampton and Mississauga. And we're sure they'll now be taking extra precautions whenever they enter a suspected grow house. [continues 184 words]
A special team of 30 Peel police officers will be sweeping the city, attacking the growing problem of pot labs set up in local houses. The number of marijuana grow labs discovered by Peel police exploded to more than 300 last year, compared to 31 in 2000. Morality Bureau Det. Sgt. Marc Andrews said police have identified several hundred more currently operating in Brampton and Mississauga. The special team will be working through that list, seizing plants and shutting down the labs. [continues 474 words]
Crown says accused confessed to his mother The jury is expected to begin deliberations this afternoon in the second-degree murder trial of Adam Palmer, accused of stabbing and slashing his best friend 20 times near a baseball diamond in Earnscliffe Park. Justice Nancy Mossip began her charge to the jury yesterday afternoon and was expected to finish this morning. The jury heard from Palmer, 20, who took the stand in his own defence Monday. He denied killing Michael McGinty, 18, and denied he confessed to his mother, Hopie Palmer, who testified earlier in the trial. [continues 734 words]
Peel police say they believe they have rounded up a group of cross-border drug runners who were at the top of the insidious residential marijuana growing operation in the GTA. An eight-month joint forces investigation wrapped up yesterday with raids at 12 homes in Brampton and Mississauga, and four in other cities, according to the Peel police Morality Bureau. At least two of the raids were in Brampton, while the majority were in Mississauga. At least two were in the area of Derry and Mavis roads. [continues 281 words]
