Like myself, I suspect many citizens of Lethbridge were alarmed by the finding of misappropriated funds within ARCHES, and the subsequent withdrawal of provincial funding to their supervised consumption site (SCS). As an RN who has worked for a number of years in harm reduction, I am reeling for our clients and their families in terms of how this will impact them. One thing is clear - the inappropriate management of funds within one agency does not refute decades of empirical research behind the effectiveness of harm-reduction interventions in mitigating drug-related health and social issues. This financial audit was not intended to evaluate the effectiveness of harm-reduction services provided to people who use drugs. To conflate findings of financial mismanagement with lack of effectiveness in harm reduction would only further exacerbate drug-related health issues. [continues 116 words]
The 2011 Supreme Court of Canada ruling on Vancouver's Insite clinic clearly established 1) that supervised consumption sites are part of health-care services that should be made accessible to people who use drugs, 2) that these sites contribute to reducing the harms associated with drug use, and 3) that denying access to these sites increases the risk of death and disease. In addition to saving lives every day, these sites act as an essential point of contact for people to access much-needed health-care services that have been proven effective to reduce overdoses, blood-borne infections (hepatitis C and HIV), infections (i.e., skin, soft tissue, heart and blood infections) and other medical complications. They also help connect people who use drugs with social services and support to address housing and food insecurity, mental health issues, trauma and isolation. [continues 595 words]
CALGARY - A report presented to city council on Monday recommends allowing marijuana consumption in designated spaces at festivals and events. The report, which council had yet to address as of press time, says making an exception will help to move second-hand smoke away from people who don't want to partake, while responding to "the current realities of cannabis consumption at festivals and events. Earlier in June, when council floated the possibility of modifying bylaws to allow space for event attendees to smoke marijuana, Calgary Folk Music Festival executive director Sara Leishman raised concerns about the additional expense that events would have to take on "with no opportunity to recoup costs through sales of sponsorship." [continues 108 words]
CALGARY - City council approved changes on Monday to allow areas in Calgary where people can smoke or otherwise consume marijuana in public. The city's Cannabis Consumption Bylaw prohibits public consumption in all forms, even after marijuana becomes legal in October. Changes to the bylaw will allow designated consumption areas both around the city and at festivals and events. The city says there are currently no proposed designated cannabis consumption areas for Calgary's public spaces, but councillors can now begin identifying potential sites. [continues 100 words]
Edmonton police will need about $1.4 million in ongoing and one-time funding to prepare for marijuana legalization this summer, a report to the police commission states. Cannabis is set to become legal in Canada this summer and with it comes higher policing costs, the Edmonton Police Commission heard Thursday. Police officials outlined a laundry list of new technology and training needed to enforce legal weed laws. Last month, the city approved $1.4 million in one-time and ongoing funding to help the police service deal with the impact of legal weed. [continues 538 words]
Doctors who treat youth have serious concerns about the legalization of marijuana. With universities and schools providing few details around strategies for marijuana legalization, doctors who treat youth have serious concerns about the inevitable increase in use and the impending impacts of what can be a dangerous drug. Dr. Chris Wilkes, Alberta Health Services head of child and adolescent psychiatry, said educators "need to ramp it up" in terms of creating environments to ensure safety and informing youths about the health effects of marijuana. [continues 805 words]
The decision isn't without controversy, but city council was wise to ban the use of marijuana in public places. When the federal government legalizes cannabis later this summer, Calgarians won't be able to smoke, vape or eat products made with the substance in public spaces, unless they're a medical marijuana user. That's led critics of the decision to complain that people who live in multi-family dwellings may not be able to use the drug. "It's not an insignificant group of people - 36 per cent of Calgarians are renters," Coun. Evan Woolley said when the restriction was being discussed by council. "And effectively, we are saying there is no space for you to consume cannabis, and that's a problem for me." [continues 311 words]
You can still have your say about cannabis restrictions in the community until Wednesday afternoon but concerns have been raised about people being able to submit more than one survey. "Yes, there are no restrictions based on IP addresses as this is city policy," said Jim Genge senior planner, planning and development services. Restrictions would make it difficult to complete the survey, including for the more than 500 who completed it at the Home and Garden Trade Show, he said. It would also restrict more than one person in a household from having a say. [continues 361 words]
Plenty of hard work goes into training police service dogs to sniff out illicit substances For the vast majority of the dog population, sitting, shaking their paw and possibly rolling over is more than enough to get a treat, or some time with their favourite toy. For police service dogs Astor and Flint, some of the highest praise comes after sniffing out drugs hidden in a home or a vehicle. The Medicine Hat Police Service is two weeks into training PSD Astor to detect drugs and to notify his handler of any illegal substances he may sniff out. [continues 383 words]
Last week there were two rallies organized to address the opioid crisis - one in the city and the other on the Blood Reserve. On Monday night, I attended the Community in Crisis March that started at City Hall and ended with a candlelight vigil at Galt Gardens. Several very touching speeches were given by citizens who have been impacted by the opioid crisis and are determined to fight back. Our Mayor and local MLA Maria Fitzpatrick also provided remarks echoing the sentiment that this crisis sees no boundaries - it does not discriminate. They also reaffirmed we must continue with harm reduction efforts and band together as communities. [continues 631 words]
Jason Kenney stated recently that the best way to combat drug addition in general, and the opioid crisis in particular, is by controlling supply. This demonstrates that he is little more than a cynical, career politician. He will say whatever he thinks will resonate with his base in the hope of becoming the next premier. Mr. Kenney has routinely prostrated himself at the alter of the free market, and is one who regards state intervention in the economy as devil's work. He knows that where there is a demand, entrepreneurs will invest capital with the aim of meeting that demand. In light of well-established and widely accepted market theory, Mr. Kenney should know - as I suspect he does - that the best way to address crises such as the one we are witnessing is to also address the demand side of the equation. [continues 168 words]
The sheer volume of human suffering has been increasing exponentially in recent months as a new and deadly wave of opioids scythes through local drug users and addicts, says Const. Ryan Darroch, a 15-year veteran of the Lethbridge Police Service, and a beat cop with the downtown policing unit. "We have not yet confirmed carfentanil (behind the recent overdoses) through our lab analysis," he emphasizes, "but we have seized carfentanil in the city. A lot of the street people we talk to in the downtown, and all over this city, refer to it as 'Car.' It almost looks like that candy Nerds. They tell us they take that carfentanil and mix it with a water solution in those little blue vials people may see on the streets on the ground. They mix that solution in little green mixing bowls, and it breaks down the opioid inside that and they may then draw that solution into a needle and inject it into themselves. Fentanyl or [continues 622 words]
One of the most desired outcomes of opening the ARCHES Supervised Consumption Site in Lethbridge is a reduction in the number of incidents of public drug use and disposal of drugdebris in the downtown core. While it is too early to say whether or not that outcome has been achieved, Terra Plato, CEO of the Lethbridge Public Library, stated the early signs at the Main Branch were positive. "Like the rest of this city, the library has experienced the same impacts downtown in terms of drug debris and that sort of thing," Plato said. "The general sense, the feeling around the library, is that, yes, we have seen a positive difference since the Supervised Consumption Site has opened. But I cannot really comment on the number of needles, and that sort of thing. We just don't have that data yet." [continues 186 words]
With legal recreational marijuana in the wings, Lethbridge remains divided on its use. The latest survey of city residents shows an even 50-50 split when asked if they support legalization. But support is up from 43.9 per cent in 2016 and 46.6 per cent last year, as reported by the Citizen Society Research Lab at Lethbridge College. On several other oncecontroversial issues, however, there's less disagreement. Lethbridge residents continue to agree largely with same-gender marriage (77.3 per cent), doctorassisted death (79.5 per cent) and a woman's right to abortion (81.7 per cent). [continues 510 words]
Alberta's supervised consumption sites should be permitted to offer drug testing to help users learn what dangers might be lurking in their illicit narcotics, the province's opioid commission recommended Friday. While questions persist about the effectiveness of fentanyl-sensing strips and other testing devices, providing insight to users on what they plan to inject or ingest will undoubtedly save lives, commission leaders said. "Anytime you can give people a bit more understanding than absolutely none about what's in their drugs, I think that's a positive," Elaine Hyshka, co-chair of the Minister's Opioid Emergency Response Commission, told a news conference downtown. [continues 390 words]
The war on drugs has never been won by anyone, anywhere. But Jason Kenny figures that it can be won here in Alberta by stricter law enforcement and by limiting safe injection sites. He is against safe injection sites, because in his conservative way of thinking, they promote the use of drugs. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Safe injection sites help save lives. On the street, drug addicts can be exposed to bad batches of drugs or they can be thrown in jail for possession of illegal drugs. I'm quite sure addicts are not happy they have to resort to safe injection sites to get their fix. And by going to safe injection sites, they are not demonized for being addicts and they can go to these places so that they can get off their dependence on drugs for good. Dennis Wanechko, Leduc [end]
Obviously reefer madness is still on when we hear about a "drug house" being closed down and the bad guys had fentanyl labs, steroid labs and shatter labs. Shatter is the street name for cannabis oil, which should be legal as our delusional puppet promised it would be. This fearmongering is ridiculous. It's a concentrate removing carbons and impurities! Nothing more. I have used cannabis oils for my fibromyalgia and broken back for 25 years without problems and becoming a criminal (except for the fact I've had to go to criminals to get it). Fentanyl gets prescribed to a person for a back injury and three months later they have nothing, are on the street selling themselves, in full addiction mode and robbing homes. Marijuana oil made me a gold-medal mountain bike champion after I treated my back injury with it and no other pain meds. The Prozac my doctor was feeding me made me wake up! I still have all the unused pills. Gord Olliver (It's hardly reefer madness with legalization around the corner.) [end]
United Conservative Party leader Jason Kenney said he would be opposed to expanding Safe Consumption Sites across the province if elected premier. "Helping addicts inject poison into their bodies is not a solution to the problem of addiction," he said bluntly while visiting Lethbridge on Wednesday. Disagreeing with local Lethbridge government, aid organizations and law enforcement officers who have championed the site, Kenney went on to state he did not feel safe consumption or injection sites work, as evidenced by the spike in opioid overdose deaths in Vancouver despite having a safe injection site in that city for over a decade. [continues 142 words]
Police are "picking and choosing " when it comes to marijuana enforcement, says a Whyte Avenue medical cannabis dispensary owner charged after a bust last month. The Edmonton Drug and Gang Enforcement Section (EDGE) executed search warrants Feb. 2 at two commercial addresses and a residence, turning up cannabis products with a combined street value estimated by police at $150,000. Paul Olson, owner of Whyte Cross dispensary, one of the businesses raided Feb. 2, said it was "a little bit of a surprise" when police entered his store and seized his products. [continues 417 words]
Alleged local international crime cartel had United States, Mexican connections Calgary school buddies came together to form their own drug trafficking gang, with links to murder, money laundering and vicious Mexican cartels, say city police. The group was allegedly responsible for millions of dollars in international drug imports and exports, and has been tied to a brazen Calgary shooting that left two dead in a south Calgary Superstore parking lot. Calgary police say the group now faces dozens of charges, from drug importation to money-laundering to murder. [continues 826 words]
Calgary police will reveal details Thursday about how they smashed a city-based crime cartel involved in murder, massive importation of drugs and money laundering. Tentacles of the gang spread as far as Mexico, and Postmedia sources say they had connections with notorious drug cartels there. Postmedia has also learned the group has been tied to a brazen daylight shooting May 21 that left two men dead in a southeast Calgary Superstore parking lot. Sources say the bust is so significant that members of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Adminstration (DEA) will be on hand when police reveal details at a news conference Thursday morning. [continues 343 words]
Majority to respond to city's online questionnaire have been for legalization Two thirds of Medicine Hatters support pot legalization, according to early results of an online survey that asks how the city should regulate local marijuana sales, the municipal planning commission heard on Wednesday. The same survey, filled out by 4,000 respondents as of Feb. 20, is on track to garner a larger response than similar surveys in Calgary and Edmonton. And city officials says the high numbers aren't the result of the pro-pot community "hijacking" the process to skew the results. [continues 472 words]
Tax income from soon-to-be-legal marijuana is forecast at $615 million. But it could bring in much more, a Lethbridge business audience heard Wednesday. And while the federal government will collect the new tax, 75 per cent of it will go to provincial governments to help communities with implementation costs. That was one of just a handful of new or hiked consumer taxes included in the federal government's budget, highlighted in a breakfast presentation by experts from KPMG. [continues 283 words]
Funds from marijuana taxes will also help, says mayor Federal funds targeting the opioid crisis will be welcome in Lethbridge. And Mayor Chris Spearman says a share of the newly announced taxes on marijuana will also help, when its use becomes legal later this year. Finance Minister Bill Morneau included $231 million in his new budget - - spread over five years - to support communities battling an opioid crisis. "Maybe we can get some relief," Spearman said, pointing to the steps the City has taken to respond to the situation. One initiative, a safe-use centre where drug users can find medical help and counselling, opened Wednesday. [continues 432 words]
The significant spike in illicit drug overdoses in Lethbridge has not reached Medicine Hat - yet. There is no way to predict that it will or when, said Insp. Tim McGough, Medicine Hat Police Service. Lethbridge recently experienced its largest spike in overdoses - 16 cases - ever recorded in a 24-hour period. There were 42 overdose calls to first responders in the week after Feb. 19. "We've had no specific overdose spike (in Medicine Hat) but we are always concerned with illicit usage." said McGough. [continues 349 words]
The president of the union representing more than 3,000 Suncor workers says they have prepared to bring the issue of random drug testing back to arbitration if the Supreme Court of Canada does not hear their case. The comments came after the Alberta Court of Appeal upheld an injunction against the practice granted by the province's Court of Queen's Bench. In a Thursday morning interview, Ken Smith, president of Unifor Local 707A, said he was confident Canada's top court will hear their case. The union expects to hear a decision by the end of March. [continues 674 words]
A new clinic giving access to a drug similar to prescription heroin is likely heading to Edmonton's inner city. Alberta Health is planning two clinics as a pilot project, one each in Edmonton and Calgary. Treatment would require opioid addicts to visit the clinic several times each day to inject drugs supplied by the clinic. It means users no longer need to buy drugs on the black market, and studies at Vancouver's Crosstown Clinic found patients in the program cut back their use of illicit drugs from at least 14 times a month to less than four. [continues 319 words]
This week marks a historic first for the City of Lethbridge. The Supervised Consumption Site (SCS) will open its doors and will be the first of its kind in North America to offer all four modes of consumption - ingestion/oral, injection, intra-nasal/snorting and inhalation. Despite this milestone, it's fair to say the facility has been met with mixed reviews, including people who have come to me to "blame" the police service for letting it happen. This not only demonstrates a narrow view of Canada and our Charter of Rights and Freedoms, but a failure to understand the role of the police in social-political decisions that are driven by municipal , provincial and federal officials and the mandate they support. [continues 905 words]
Trying not to be too cynical about all the reporting, discussions, debates and business preparations on Trudeau's "wrath of pot" legalization predications, with the lame duck excuse that the crooks are making too much money on its sales, I'm sorry! The recent news of the inherent benefit of marijuana has been blown right out of the water by a recent group of very prominent world scientists. They have reported that there is absolutely no shred of evidence whatsoever of its benefit for health and pain relief, because of the availability of hundreds of pharmaceuticals that do not have negative health aftereffects like brain damage, in addition to dangerous driving which puts the very heavy load on our police forces that still do not have equipment to test for drug impairment. [continues 147 words]
Emergency services responded to 16 cases on Friday and 42 since Feb. 19 Lethbridge had the single biggest spike of overdoses in a 24-hour period during the ongoing opioid crisis this past weekend, with 16 cases being responded to by local emergency services personnel on Friday alone. "What we have seen over this past weekend is a dramatic increase in the number of overdoses that our staff at Lethbridge Fire and EMS have responded to," said deputy chief of support services Dana Terry, at a hastily arranged press conference Monday morning. "Specifically with overdoses where Narcan was administered." [continues 392 words]
Realtors and condo boards scramble to find solutions Realtors and condo boards are sparking up conversations about pot as legalization looms. Anand Sharma, president and condominium manager with the Northern Alberta Chapter of the Canadian Condominium Institute, said condo corporations should start revising their rules if they haven't already to prevent sticky situations when tenants start lighting up legally. "The bottom line is people are going to have to seek legal counsel to tighten up their bylaws or address some of these issues in their bylaws," Sharma said. [continues 428 words]
Re. "Man charged in 2016 fentanyl death pleads guilty in unrelated drug case," Feb. 21 The war on drugs, which is really a war on the people who use drugs, has failed. The people who sell drugs at the street level are very often in the grips of addiction themselves. This was the case for Jordan Yarmey, and so many others like him. The people who buy drugs are exposed to the possibility of accidental death by fentanyl poisoning, which was the case for Szymon Kalich. This tragic situation draws attention to the need for drug policy reform. The decriminalization of small amounts of drugs for personal use, and access to drug testing is one way to end the opioid overdose crisis that is devastating families across our country. Lorna Thomas, Edmonton [end]
It is hard to pinpoint reasons for a large increase in the number of physicians authorizing the use of medical marijuana, but a local pain specialist has some theories. "Cannabinoids are showing great promise as medicines, especially in the myriad of non specific conditions like anxiety, insomnia, fatigue, mild to moderate pain, unhappiness, recurrent stress and dysphoria conditions which pharmacotherapy has offered little and doctors are ill equipped to treat," said Dr. Gaylord Wardell, anesthesiologist and pain specialist, Sante Surgi, Medicine Hat. "Patients are dissatisfied with their doctors and their drugs." [continues 457 words]
A number of on-the-fly changes were proposed Calgary city councillors have proposed a number of relaxations on proposed cannabis retailer rules. On Wednesday, during a council committee, administration presented their land use bylaw rules to ready the city's policies ahead of marijuana legalization. But just like rolling your first joint, the process wasn't easy. The rules will now be smoothed over and sent to an April council meeting before being passed into official law. If council approves the changes made at the committee level, cannabis stores won't be restricted by distance when it comes to opening up shop near post-secondary institutions. [continues 328 words]
Much like a self-learning robot that improves with every step, Edmonton city hall hopes to tweak recreational cannabis bylaws now, and after it is legalized. "We're still in a little bit of a state of confusion or complexity as to the way it'll all shake down as far as where can the stores be located," Ward 6 Coun. Scott McKeen said Wednesday. "I suspect we'll continue to struggle with these for a couple of years as we tweak the regulations and make sure we get things right." [continues 365 words]
Retailers watch on as city drafts regs on where shops can open The cans and can'ts for Calgary cannabis retailers are taking shape this month, but some prospective shops are pointing out that perception could still be tainting the city's proposed bylaws. On Wednesday, councillors will see administration's land use amendments to add cannabis retail store rules to the city's bylaws. These tweaks will go before the council in an April public hearing. Out of three options, the city's going with one that would treat cannabis retailers a little like liquor stores - but not entirely the same as booze businesses. [continues 338 words]
For all the hand-wringing that we were rushing into cannabis legalization, and that there wasn't enough time to get it right, it turns out that it wasn't that hard to figure out, after all. Proponents of legalization have long argued that it makes far more sense to regulate cannabis similar to how we regulate alcohol. All along, then, the model for cannabis retail was staring us right in the face, and the Alberta government deserves credit for not missing the glaringly obvious. [continues 584 words]
I am quite suspicious about the headspace of the Journal editor who captioned a brief article about a U.S. survey with the headline "Pot holiday linked to fatal car crashes" (Feb. 13). Maybe their attention span allowed them to only get as far as the first paragraph. The next one explicitly stated that the survey being reported had found absolutely no evidence of a link between pot smoking and car crashes on the one day of the year studied from 1992 to 2016, which was April 20, the day of the year adopted by activists to push for the decriminalization of cannabis. [continues 107 words]
Ontario Senator Tony Dean, sponsor of the Trudeau Liberals' pot bill in the Upper Chamber, is upset that Canadians will not be able to legally light up their spliffs until long after Canada Day. He says time is of the essence, and that the government does not have the luxury of biding it. Why is this? Why, after more than 100 years of marijuana being illegal, does the good senator think pushing back the smoke date by a few weeks is the wrong thing to do? [continues 296 words]
Patients still struggling to get covered by insurance plans As Alberta moves forward on retail applications for recreational marijuana, those who use the drug for medical reasons still wait for coverage. Most forms of medical cannabis do not have a Drug Identification Number (DIN) in Canada, which leaves it subject to tax and exempts it from most health coverage plans. "We're not talking about drug users using this to get high, we're talking about patients that need it to be able to function and be part of a working society," said Scott Bladon, an Edmonton man who has legally used cannabis for three years to treat psoriatic arthritis. [continues 523 words]
Calgarians are demonstrating strong common sense when it comes to offering advice on how marijuana should be regulated. The drug will be legalized by the federal government on July 1, but it's been left to cities to determine where pot smoking will be permitted. A survey prepared for the city by Environics Research finds that approximately 55 per cent of Calgarians believe marijuana consumption should be treated more like alcohol, rather than regarded as a product similar to tobacco. Such a conclusion is prudent and would mean that pot couldn't be smoked in public, just as imbibers can't drink beer and other alcohol in public. It's difficult to imagine people walking down the street with a glass of wine in their hand - it's equally troublesome to picture a group of Calgarians sharing a joint as they meander down the road. [continues 289 words]
The Notley government rolled out more of its marijuana retail regulations on Friday and, we must say, they continue to stay ahead of other provinces. The only way this year's legalization of bud is going to work is if obtaining legit weed is reasonably close in convenience and price to buying the illegal stuff. The Alberta NDP government seems to be making a reasonable stab at doing just that. When you can walk into just about any bar in the province and in a few minutes pick up a couple of joints at a reasonable price, it won't automatically be easy for legal retailers to compete.n Users might have to drive further and pay more for the straight stuff. [continues 393 words]
Panel warned of supply problems, tight margins A Vancouver cannabis retailer whose company plans to open 10 Alberta stores this year says anyone rushing into the field shouldn't expect to find a pot of gold. "People definitely see it as a potentially very profitable business, or cash cow. It's not," Andrew Gordon, director of operations for Aura Cannabis, said Friday following a panel discussion sponsored by the Leduc Regional Chamber of Commerce. "The margins are very similar to other retailers Â… There's (also) a potential of real shortages facing our business right out the gate in the first 18 months. We have seen that in jurisdictions down south." [continues 359 words]
Alberta could be the site of 250 cannabis stores in the first year of legalization, with retailers able to offer discount prices on bud and marijuana oil, provincial officials said Friday. No one business or person will be able to own more than 15 per cent of the locations, or a maximum of 37 stores, the government said, and the outlets must be located no closer than 100 metres from schools and health-care facilities. "This is a brand new market and we want to ensure everyone can participate, from the very small to the very large entities," said Alberta Justice Minister Kathleen Ganley, adding there's no shortage of prospective retailers. [continues 613 words]
A new medical guideline suggests family doctors should think twice before prescribing medical marijuana to their patients. The Simplified Guideline for Prescribing Medical Cannabinoids in Primary Care, published Thursday in the medical journal Canadian Family Physician, says there is limited evidence to support the reported benefits of medical marijuana for many conditions. It adds that any benefit could be balanced, or even outweighed, by the potential harm. "While enthusiasm for medical marijuana is very strong among some people, good, quality research has not caught up," project leader Mike Allan, director of evidence-based medicine at the University of Alberta, said in a news release. [continues 377 words]
Survey suggests renters more likely to smoke marijuana An advocacy group for renters say a city survey is needlessly pitting homeowners and landlords against a vulnerable community. This week, the City of Calgary put out their citizen cannabis survey, which included data about how Calgarians feel about impending legalization along with some pointed policy questions to help the city as they draft new rules for weed. The survey found that renters are more likely to currently smoke marijuana at 32 per cent when compared to 12 per cent homeowners reporting they currently puff. When it comes to home growing, the city found that of those who were likely to grow marijuana plants inside their home 68 per cent of those were living in rented town homes or apartments. In Calgary particularly, the term renter has become a dirty word - especially when it comes to the politics of putting in secondary suites. The divisive term is often in the middle of council discussions. [continues 264 words]
Public awareness of possible harm from marijuana use will be part of a public campaign in the coming days as July approaches when the federal government will legalize the use of the drug. "We will have a public education campaign around the legalization of cannabis," a spokesperson for the Alberta Cannabis Secretariat said in an email. "However, the details of public education coming from the federal government have not yet been finalized." Federal government details are necessary first in order to ensure there are no duplicated efforts at the provincial level. [continues 344 words]
Alberta outlines specifics on cannabis sales Alberta expects to issue 250 licences for cannabis stores this year, and says anyone who wants to run a weed shop will first undergo an exhaustive check ranging from tax records to mob ties. "We believe that our regulations will strike the right balance," Justice Minister Kathleen Ganley said Friday in Calgary as she unveiled the new regulations for marijuana distribution. "The system that we are putting in place in Alberta will create an environment in which retailers can legally sell cannabis and provide access to safe products while keeping the health and safety of Albertans in mind." [continues 503 words]
I just spent the morning reading Bill C-45, the new cannabis law. I discovered under the section for possession, it states that a youth (12 to 18) who possesses more than five grams of dried marijuana will be charged under the Youth Criminal Justice Act but does not mention anything about amounts under five grams or under age 12. Given all the science-based facts on the effect of cannabis on developing brains I find this to be a very careless section. The argument concerning ruining a young person's life with a record is made moot since the offence is dealt with under the Youth Criminal Justice Act. [continues 81 words]
In regards to legalization of marijuana, I think that we should take a similar approach to Amsterdam in the sense that it is frowned upon to smoke in public but there are designated 'coffee shops' where smoking is allowed and encouraged I feel like many small businesses could profit from becoming a 'smoke bar,' similar to some of the hookah bars around town and that will keep people out of the busy streets and away from vulnerable people, children, disabled, etc. David Rhoads (Plenty of people are against anyone smoking up in public spaces.) [end]
Only 32 per cent of respondents favour restrictions like those on smoking It's not like tobacco and those who want to treat it like tobacco are probably the ones who want to smoke it anywhere. More than half of Calgarians believe the way public consumption of cannabis is regulated and enforced should more closely resemble controls on drinking alcohol than those on smoking tobacco. That's according to the city's Cannabis Research Combined Study, prepared by Environics Research and released Friday. [continues 844 words]
Following the death of her son Conner in 2013, Yvonne Clark has been sharing her story with students and parents across the region. In presentations to young people ranging from Grade 6 to Grade 12, Clark talks about her family's experience, about the dangers of fentanyl, and about the growing number of Albertans who have died of opioid overdoses. What she hopes to include soon as part of that presentation is a series of images that will put a face to the fentanyl statistics. Clark is appealing to other Albertans who have lost a loved one to an opioid overdose to send her a photo of the victim, with the aim of educating young people across the province about the crisis. [continues 262 words]
Group to ask about opioid crisis at town hall Edmontonians will line up at MacEwan University on Thursday in hopes of getting face time with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Moms Stop the Harm, a group of parents who have lost children to drug overdoses, plans to have 10 to 15 members at the town hall to challenge the PM on the opioid crisis. "It's very upsetting for us how silent he has been on this issue," said group member Petra Schulz. "There are thousands of Canadian families like ours that are mourning the loss of a loved one, and the prime minister has not even spoken on the issue in the house." [continues 310 words]
Edmonton is giving more naloxone kits to those who need them, but much more work is required on the underlying drivers of the fentanyl and opioid crisis. That was the message left with city council after their quarterly update Wednesday. Dr. Chris Sikora, Alberta Health Services' medical officer of health, Edmonton zone, said childhood trauma and social factors such as poverty and a lack of housing leave people susceptible to addiction. With fentanyl, those addictions are taking an even more tragic turn. [continues 233 words]
AHS teaming up with two universities to study effects of cannabis on the brain If you have smoked five joints a week, every week, for the past year, then science needs you. A research collaboration between Alberta Health Services, the University of Alberta and MacEwan University is studying 120 healthy Edmontonians aged between 18 and 35 to understand the short and long-term effects of cannabis use and its residual effects on cognition, motor skills and sensory skills. It will also look at how people with mental illness are affected by cannabis. [continues 266 words]
StatsCan can tell you the answer to that Albertans are paying just under $8 a gram for marijuana on average, according to a new Statistics Canada report. The Cannabis Economic Report ranked average prices of medical and non-medical cannabis between provinces and found Alberta is slightly above the national average and the highest of the Prairies at $7.67. The national average is $7.48. Manitoba has the cheapest weed at $6.69 per gram, while the territories rank the highest at $9.58. [continues 106 words]
The opioid crisis affecting Canada and the world has surfaced in a significant dangerous way here in Lethbridge. This rampant drug abuse involving fentanyl, labelled as the "new alcohol," is being driven by factors that can and should be controlled by our own community activities or lack thereof. Much is being done to deal with the crisis, i.e. safe Injection site and other initiatives. Nevertheless, little is being done to deal with the underlying causes driving this crisis. Currently, our own Lethbridge Shelter is accommodating homeless citizens, many of whom are affected by addictions, homelessness, job loss, poverty. Many are selling drugs to put food in their bellies. On average, 65 per cent of the clientele are aboriginal. The shelter has become a refuge for drug dealers and users banished from the Blood Reserve - many as a direct result of the new "trespass" policy on the reserve. The Blood Tribe does not want them, and neither does Lethbridge. [continues 204 words]
Drunk driving laws have not stopped impaired drivers and pot will be no different Last Sunday, I was driving on John Laurie Blvd. when I caught up to a motorist in the passing lane who was doing 40 km/h in a 70 km/h zone. As I pulled out to pass him on the right, I could smell the stench of marijuana coming from his car. Wait until marijuana is legal in Canada and then more of these bozos will be on the road. In Colorado, where marijuana has been legal for almost four years, a recent poll by the Colorado Department of Transportation showed that 55 per cent of people there think it's perfectly all right to drive while stoned. As Time magazine reported, the poll also found that of the people surveyed who had used pot in the past 30 days, half thought it was fine to drive while high. Why should Alberta's potheads think any differently when legalization arrives here? Some of them, like the guy on John Laurie, aren't even waiting till then. [continues 499 words]
Health: Veterinarian speaks out over dangers of drug, signs of intoxication in pets Foothills veterinarians are expressing concerns animals could be exposed to marijuana when the drug is legalized in July. Dr. Tony Gerrow, at the Okotoks Veterinary Clinic, said he's seen several cases of intoxicated dogs over his 35 years and anticipates more with legalization looming. "If there are marijuana products available to the pets, whether it's accidental ingestion or it's second-hand smoke, I'm sure we're going to see more of those cases," said Gerrow. [continues 593 words]
A University of Calgary researcher says the city's supervised consumption site is important not only for people who use opioids, but for those who consume other substances such as meth, which was cited as the most frequently used substance during a recent study of drug users in Calgary. The research was conducted as part of a harm reduction needs assessment for Calgary that launched in June 2017 and wrapped up in the fall. The study included 370 people in the city who use substances other than alcohol or marijuana. [continues 472 words]
Prescribed opiates rarely hit streets, writes Barry Ulmer. The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta is happy lately, at least according to the medical regulator's new registrar. Dr. Scott McLeod wrote in these pages last week that doctors contributed to Alberta's "opioid crisis" by over-prescribing, and now they're going to help fix it. "We need to prescribe opioids more appropriately," he wrote, "and that means less. Already, prescriptions for Albertans in pain are way down, and that's terrific." [continues 660 words]
More than 40 client support workers have been hired With staff training well underway, officials at the city's supervised drug consumption centre will be ready once building contractors have finished their work. Renovations on the 1 Avenue S. structure - a night club and bar for many decades - started last fall. Stacey Bourque, executive director of the Arches harm reduction agency, says it's a little behind schedule because of a decision to install a new fire detection and sprinkler system. [continues 285 words]
Made-in-Alberta protocols change ways dogs sniff out fentanyl Alberta RCMP is leading the way when it comes to new police service dog drug detection protocols. Previously, sticking their nose in drugs was a police dog's business, but now the canines sit beside suspected drugs when they are found, said K Division Deputy Commissioner Todd Shean in a year-end interview. "Now the dogs are sitting back ... so if they detect it - versus putting the dogs in harm's way - they sit," Shearn said. [continues 234 words]
Permanent facility replaces stop-gap trailer at Chumir Health Centre A permanent supervised drug consumption site will open its doors in the Sheldon M. Chumir Health Centre on Monday, replacing a temporary facility that handled 2,551 visits by more than 300 people in two months. Claire O'Gorman, program coordinator with Safeworks, said 55 overdoses were reversed between Oct. 30 and Dec. 31 at the trailer outside the health centre. "There's 55 lives saved already," she said during a tour of the facility Friday. "We're making a difference here in our community." [continues 450 words]
At some point this summer, Justin Trudeau expects to make good on his promise to legalize recreational marijuana use across Canada. The Senate thus-far has spoiled Trudeau's plans to kick off Canada Day with a country-wide high, and may yet delay or otherwise thwart speedy implementation of his Cannabis Act. The provinces, meanwhile, are working to flesh out the regulatory details that will govern the sale, purchase, distribution and use of pot across the country. However, the reality of marijuana legalization is fast approaching, raising the question, how do Canadians feel about legal pot now that it is upon us? [continues 553 words]
Let's shift our approach, writes Dr. Trina Larsen Soles The opioid epidemic is the biggest public health crisis to hit in decades. One potential response, in addition to opening more supervised consumption sites, providing better access to Naloxone kits, urging people not to use alone, and trying to stop tainted drugs from being accessible - could be to deepen our public understanding and shift our approach to a more compassionate and effective outcome: recognizing and addressing the underlying role of adverse childhood experiences and how they make individuals more vulnerable to substance use. [continues 575 words]
Re. "Opioids kill hundreds," Dec. 28 This is a terrible tragedy and health professionals need to be supported in their evidence-based efforts to prevent these deaths. However, this story, like many media reports, inaccurately frames the approval of four supervised drug injection sites in Edmonton as a "positive development" in efforts to prevent these deaths. In contrast, the Journal's headline on the day after these sites were announced was "Injection sites may do little for fentanyl crisis, experts say" (Feb. 23, 2017). [continues 118 words]
Re: "Marijuana isn't without its risks," Letter, Jan. 4. As is typical of marijuana scaremongers, Jack Falk misconstrues the fact that marijuana metabolites are detectable in the body for a longer period than alcohol. The effects of marijuana (the high, if you will), however, are fairly short-lived (two to three hours if smoked, six to 12 hours if ingested). The letter writer needs to educate himself a little before making such easily repudiated claims. Ted Tarrant, Calgary [end]
At least 200 potential marijuana retailers have expressed interest in setting up shop in Calgary, says the city official responsible for planning for the impending legalization of recreational cannabis. Matt Zabloski said retail expectations could be getting out of hand, depending on provincial directives on how such shops will be located and regulated - guidelines that should be provided next month. "There are a lot of people putting a lot of money into this now and there are no guarantees," said Zabloski, who's working with as many as 17 city business units to prepare for legalization, expected to take effect this summer. [continues 535 words]
Second-hand smoke concerns will cut into consumption The war on drugs is about to get a lot more interesting, here in Alberta. And not because of another tough-talking "lock everyone up and throw away the keys" politician. Heck, we've seen that lot come and go without making the slightest dent in an age-old problem, though it did help get them elected. Nope, that was just blather, bluster and tossing peanuts to the gallery. Sure, politicians and law enforcement agencies love that standby news conference where oodles of some drugs, bundles of cash and a few handguns and semiautomatic weapons are proudly displayed for effect. [continues 588 words]
ALERT boss says officers will focus on keeping up with tech-savvy bad guys Disarming and dismantling the upper echelon of organized crime groups in Alberta is in the sights of the province's dedicated guns and gang investigators in 2018, says the province's integrated law enforcement boss. But in order to disrupt the complex networks of drug-running and gun-toting criminals in Alberta, officers will need to stay ahead of the technology curve as these groups - which include some of the province's most notorious outlaw motorcycle gangs - are becoming increasingly tech savvy. [continues 483 words]
Re: "Nothing to fear from legal pot," Letter, Jan. 3. Comparing pot's effects to alcohol is apples and oranges. The effects of alcohol leave the body when the alcohol is gone (or soon after). The effects of pot most assuredly do not. Consider this the next time you're returning from vacation on a late-night flight: The air traffic controller has returned from days off, during which time he can use weed as he wishes. It's a quiet night, and he sits back, all mellow and relaxed, then starts issuing instructions to the wrong aircraft. This is but one possibility. Think about jobs such as an oil worker on the floor of a drilling rig, or a highrise construction worker - or your surgeon poised over your brain with a scalpel. Jack Falk, Calgary [end]
Marijuana dispensary firms' efforts to launch dozens of franchises and shops in Calgary has ignited concerns of a chaotic scramble ahead of the drug's recreational legalization. Calgary-based Spiritleaf has attracted 40 entrepreneurs willing to put up a $25,000 franchise fee to operate a cannabis retailing store under the company's name, said CEO Darren Bondar. "We're well-positioned to be ahead of the game and being an iconic brand based in Alberta," said Bondar, who has exhibited at marijuana industry expos in the city. [continues 512 words]
Re: "Pot's harm exceeds value of tax revenue," Letter, Dec. 29. The letter writer's opinion could not be further off the mark. Legalization has nothing to do with a legacy for the prime minister. It is about fulfilling a campaign promise (finally) and growing scientific data. I voted for Justin Trudeau based on that promise. The prohibition of marijuana has been a complete failure. I encourage you to not make statements based on your own fears and absence of facts. And let me guess - you brought in the new year drinking alcohol, which was once prohibited because of its dangers to our social fabric. The hypocrisy is coming to end, thankfully. Wes Armitage, Calgary [end]
Edmonton police brace for cannabis legalization Edmonton police will not be ready to enforce cannabis-impaired driving laws in time for legalization, according to chief Rod Knecht. In a year-end interview with Metro, Knecht said he expects to see an uptick in impaired driving in 2018 - but without tools to accurately test for pot the way Breathalyzers test for alcohol, he doesn't know how officers will deal with it. "We are, quite frankly, not the least bit prepared for it," he said. [continues 297 words]
Calgary Staff, students developing on provincial pot policy How does weed fit in with higher education? It's hard to draw a conclusion. With only months to go before the federal government lights up marijuana legislation, Calgary's post-secondary institutions are just beginning the process of establishing how dope will fit into academic life. Both the University of Calgary and Mount Royal University have lit up their own marijuana working groups to look at the federal and provincial rules and pack their own policies through their respective governance processes. [continues 303 words]
Re: "Why the big rush to legalize pot?," Letter, Dec. 23. Mike Priaro has it right. We must look in the direction of Colorado in the U.S. They were a vanguard state in the legalization of marijuana. Originally, the idea was sold on the promise of all this additional tax revenue from pot sales. Unfortunately, it did not turn out the way they had envisioned it. What happened, among other negatives, was that the newly created health care costs exceeded the tax income by a large margin. So, the initial win-win situation turned into a lose-lose proposition. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's wish to legalize marijuana in Canada is about creating his legacy. Caspar Pfenninger, Calgary [end]
Legalizing marijuana will tie up police resources and risks clogging the court system, Edmonton police Chief Rod Knecht says in a blunt assessment of Canada's plan to legalize the drug by next summer. "I don't think we're going to be ready," Knecht said during a yearend interview at Edmonton Police Service headquarters. "There's a lot of work that's got to be done in the next few months." Legalization is one of the biggest issues facing police services across the country next year. Police chiefs including Knecht have warned that the timelines are too tight and there are too many outstanding issues, including ambiguity around roadside tests for marijuanaintoxication. [continues 359 words]
Police use discretion when deciding whether to lay charges for possession Despite the Liberal government's plan to legalize marijuana possession next July, the drug's possession remains illegal. But while the law is still in place, police officers have discretion not to lay charges, a senior officer with the Calgary Police Service said. Staff Sgt. Mark Hatchette, of the strategic enforcement unit, said officers have and will continue to have leeway when it comes to pot possession. "We don't target (simple possession)," Hatchette said in a recent interview. [continues 437 words]
Why is the federal government in such a hurry to pass its marijuana legalization legislation when there are still so many questions and so few answers? Just this week, the Alberta Association of Chiefs of Police said that the legislation is coming too fast, stating that, "There is insufficient time to prepare the necessary legislative framework and regulations to ensure the public safety". The Canadian Association of Police Chiefs warned that it will be "impossible" to be ready for the government's target of legalizing marijuana by July 2018. Do these things not matter? [continues 193 words]
With the coming switch to legal sales, shops hope to keep their market niche After decades of trail-blazing cannabis-related retail - often under police scrutiny - Calgary head shops say legal recreational marijuana offers them a hazy future. Despite a perception looming legislative changes might affirm their bong-and-roach-clip business model, those first in on cannabis monetization say the coming reality leaves them in uncharted waters. It's not entirely clear what head shops' role will be in the sale of legal bud, or if coming pot dispensaries will burn their business by also selling accessories, said Fred Pattison, owner of the Next Level store. Even marijuana's mainstreaming and the expansion of e-retail poses a threat, he said. [continues 421 words]
Higher-potency opioids lead to concerns about how to keep inmates and staff safe Alberta correctional facilities have recorded more than 120 overdoses in the past two years, and dozens more in federal prisons in the province, new statistics show. Postmedia obtained the data after a string of overdoses at the Edmonton Remand Centre. Since Nov. 29, at least three inmates at the remand centre have been found unresponsive in their cells after apparent overdoses, one of whom died. Despite efforts to keep contraband out of correctional institutions - including the use of ion scanners, body scanners and detector dogs - the statistics show deadly opioids such as fentanyl are still getting in. [continues 600 words]
The City of Medicine Hat is preparing for the Canada-wide legalization of marijuana in 2018, but in the absence of final rules from other levels of government, local regulations remain a work in progress, officials said this week. "It is a big cumbersome process, and we're on track to be ready for July, but we'll see a lot of activity in the next six months," commissioner Stan Schwartzenberger told Wednesday's meeting of the development and infrastructure committee. [continues 465 words]
Paraphernalia retailers wait for smoke to clear as legalization of marijuana draws near After decades of trailblazing cannabis-related retail - often under police scrutiny - Calgary head shops say legal recreational marijuana offers them a hazy future. Despite a perception looming legislative changes might affirm their bong and roach clip business model, those first in on cannabis monetization say the coming reality leaves them in uncharted waters. It's not entirely clear what head shops' role will be in the sale of legal bud, or if coming pot dispensaries will burn their business by also selling accessories, said Fred Pattison, owner of the Next Level store. [continues 387 words]
Alberta correctional facilities have recorded more than 120 overdoses in the past two years, and dozens more in federal prisons in the province, new statistics show. Postmedia obtained the data after a string of overdoses at the Edmonton Remand Centre. Since Nov. 29, at least three inmates at the remand centre have been found unresponsive in their cells after apparent overdoses, one of whom died. Despite efforts to keep contraband out of correctional institutions - including use of ion scanners, body scanners and detector dogs - the statistics show deadly opioids such as fentanyl are still getting in. [continues 465 words]
Owner of one business said he 'wanted to be a role model' for future dispensaries City police have shut down two south Edmonton cannabis operations, but the owner of one says he was just trying to help medical marijuana patients fill their prescriptions. "I really wanted to be a role model for the city and to get this done right. I wanted them to work with me, not against me," David Tiefenbach, one of the owners of MediJoint, 7809 109 St., said Thursday. [continues 386 words]
Cops close two cannabis dispensaries, multiple charges pending City police have shut down two south Edmonton cannabis dispensaries, but the owner of one says he was just trying to help medical marijuana patients fill their prescriptions. "I really wanted to be a role model for the city and to get this done right. I wanted them to work with me, not against me," David Tiefenbach, one of the owners of Medijoint, 7809 109 St., said Thursday. Tiefenbach said he was trying to establish a legitimate dispensary, which police raided and closed Dec. 13. [continues 474 words]
Opioids linked to 95% of overdoses in provincial facilities through 2016 Alberta correctional facilities have recorded more than 120 overdoses in the past two years, and dozens more in federal prisons in the province, new statistics show. Postmedia obtained the data after a string of overdoses at the Edmonton Remand Centre. Since Nov. 29, at least three inmates at the remand centre have been found unresponsive in their cells after apparent overdoses, one of whom died. Despite efforts to keep contraband out of correctional institutions - including use of ion scanners, body scanners and detector dogs - the statistics show deadly opioids such as fentanyl are still getting in. [continues 602 words]
Re: "Pot use likely to plague workplaces," Letter, Nov. 30. I have to disagree with Larry Comeau. Marijuana is not a dangerous drug. There is not a "greatly enhanced risk" of young people developing psychosis as a result of cannabis usage. The medical evidence is equivocal, and, of course, as a physician, I would caution the use of marijuana in people under the age of 25. (Not that advice would make any difference anyway). However, the almost hysterical opposition to legalization of marijuana is simply wrong, by all scientific standards. James Currie, Calgary [end]
Several people now face drugrelated charges It's not legal yet. Police sent out a stern warning Thursday after shutting down two cannabis dispensaries in south Edmonton - including one that required prescriptions for purchase - and making several arrests. "We want the owners and employees of these illegal cannabis operations to be aware that they're breaking the law, and that we'll continue to enforce that law until such time those laws are changed," said Edmonton Police Service Insp. Shane Perka. [continues 503 words]
College's information outdated, says James Moir. The Alberta College of Family Physicians (ACFP) recently published a statement reflecting their stance on medical cannabis, basically stating there is insufficient evidence to recommend it, and that adverse effects outweigh any benefits. As a physician working in Edmonton's only legitimate "physician-and-nurse-run" cannabinoid medical clinic, I must object strongly to this stance. I have an MD from the University of Alberta, with five years' subspecialty training in anesthesiology and pain medicine, and have over 20 years clinical experience in this area. I have five years' experience in perioperative medicine and extra training in cannabinoid medicine, which allows me to prescribe medical cannabis and work in the clinic, where I have been for the better part of a year. [continues 572 words]
Concern that sites will be clustered in the inner city Just a few years ago, supervised consumption sites seemed like a pipe dream for public health advocates in Edmonton. But the opioid crisis, highlighted by alarming rates of fentanyl overdose deaths, sparked a major shift in public opinion and policy. In October, Health Canada officially gave the green light to five sites in Alberta, including four in Edmonton - all of which are scheduled to be up and running in early 2018. [continues 326 words]
Unreasonable retail prices will not drive people to buy legally As Canadians prepare to celebrate the New Year, the country's provincial and federal governments continue to work on legalizing cannabis. Provided everything comes together according to initial plans, the monumental policy failure that has for decades treated a health issue as a criminal one - otherwise known as prohibition - will finally be over this summer. But a growing question looms as leaders attempt to legislate the substance. At a proposed price point that does not even make the slightest attempt to compete seriously with rates available on the black market, will people actually be convinced to ditch their dealers and do business with legal, regulated retailers? [continues 531 words]
Everyone knows what use of marijuana does. Ability to focus changes for worst, ability to multi task changes for worst, performance and speed of work changes for worst. Willpower diminished and so on. So as a small-business owner (restaurant), now I will have to pay more for minimum wage, and actually might get less work done with someone with dumb grin on his face and a large appetite. How about the medical profession, medical labs and professions, where accuracy and attention to detail is crucial? And if someone decides to fire that particular employee, I can already imagine the labour board taking sides with that employee and filling lawsuit for wrongful dismissal. Thanks, Justin. Mike Soch (Why would you assume employees are going to get high for work? Do they currently get hammered?) [end]
Billions of dollars have been spent by Canadian governments dissuading young people from taking up tobacco use, and it is finally having a positive effect. Therefore, now making an even more dangerous and addictive drug, legal, certainly will require public education aimed at parents and young children. With studies in the U.K., U.S.A. and by the Canadian Medical Association all conclusively showing young people using cannabis run a greatly enhanced risk of suffering psychosis and other mental issues later in life, education should have preceded legalization. Larry Comeau, Ottawa [end]
Re: "Irksome issues around cannabis legalization," Licia Corbella, Opinion, Dec. 16. Canadians need to be surveyed on far more marijuana harms than just the risk of driving marijuana impaired. Health Canada has identified conditions for which the use of marijuana is strictly contraindicated. Our country's health watchdog advises men to avoid the use of marijuana if they want to start a family. How many Canadians understand the science that links marijuana to a heightened probability of testicular cancer, sterility and damage to DNA? How many Canadians are aware of the scientific evidence that suggests marijuana can negatively impact pre- and post-natal development? Such warnings, provided from Health Canada and the Canadian Centre on Substance Use, are not the rantings of reefer madness, but rather, statements by highly regarded institutions. Pamela McColl, Vancouver [end]
Most Albertans support the provincial government's proposed regulations for legalized marijuana, according to a new Insights West poll. Almost two-thirds of respondents to the online poll agree with the decision to prevent pot stores from selling alcohol, tobacco or pharmaceuticals, while 77 per cent favour setting 18 as the legal age for buying marijuana. While 60 per cent of Albertans support legalization, up five percentage points since a national poll done in October 2016, the poll found a split along party lines. [continues 310 words]
Albertans high on province's marijuana plans: Poll Most Albertans support the provincial government's proposed regulations for legalized marijuana, according to a new Insights West poll. Almost two-thirds of respondents to the online poll agree with the decision to prevent pot stores from selling alcohol, tobacco or pharmaceuticals, while 77 per cent favour setting 18 as the legal age for buying marijuana. While 60 per cent of Albertans support legalization, up five percentage points since a national poll done in October 2016, the poll found a split along party lines. [continues 171 words]
The head of Edmonton's Police Service looks ahead to 2018 with skepticism around supervised consumption sites, Edmonton Police Service Chief Rod Knecht says police have had a good but "extremely busy" year. Metro asked him about some of the year's biggest stories and what to expect in 2018. The interview has been edited for space. Metro: Cannabis will be legal July 1. Has EPS backed off marijuana related arrests since legalization was announced? We're busy. Obviously there's lots of crimes, and we enforce crime on priority. [continues 694 words]
Re: High Workforce, Mike Soch. Mr. Soch is exactly right that with the legalization of pot on July 1, 2018, we can expect many more workplace injuries. We only have to look at what has happened in Colorado, where after legalization, workplace injuries rose from 6-20%. Too many people erroneously try to equate using marijuana with alcohol. Whereas alcohol leaves the system in about 12 hours, THC can stay in one's system for many days. This means someone getting stoned the night before, may be unknowingly still quite impaired when they show up for work the next day. This will be a particular problem in the mining and oil industry where there is heavy equipment, thus the reason some companies like Suncor want mandatory drug testing. Larry Comeau (C'mon, let's not go all Reefer Madness.) [end]
Since being equipped with naloxone nasal spray last December, Calgary firefighters have administered the opioid overdose antidote to 326 patients. That's nearly once a day, said fire Chief Steve Dongworth, who noted the department has also seen an increase in overdose calls. "We often go to overdose calls where we don't necessarily administer Narcan (the trade name of the drug), for one reason or another, and we've seen a significant increase in the volume of those, year over year - from under 400 calls in 2016 to nearly 1,100 in 2017 to date," said Dongworth. "So that's close to a 300 per cent increase." [continues 387 words]
Expect the unexpected. That sage advice from Dan Rowland, director of public affairs for Denver, Col., comes after more than five years of experience dealing with the legalization of cannabis and its ripple effects. "I think it's imperative that governments, whether it's the provincial level or the local level, set themselves up to be nimble and flexible," he said. "There's a ton of education that needs to happen. "Even for savvy consumers, there's going to be a regulated marketplace for this, so they need to know what that means, as well." [continues 341 words]
Certain cannabis crimes ... will vanish altogether, thus resulting in less enforcement. The city's claims that cannabis legalization is going to be a big money loser for them should certainly not be taken with a grain of salt, but rather, a few kilos of it. Or, to put it another way, what are they smoking down at city hall? A council committee last week heard the details on administration's latest estimates around the cost of legalization: about $10 million or so a year, or about the equivalent of a one per cent increase in property taxes. [continues 584 words]
Laziness, not criminal intent, was likely behind a city police officer's decision to take home seized drugs, a judge ruled Tuesday. Provincial court Judge Jerry LeGrandeur said he had a reasonable doubt Const. Robert Cumming took home marijuana handed over to him by an undercover officer for his own personal use. LeGrandeur said Cumming's conduct in placing the contraband in his garbage bin in the alley behind his house before retrieving it hours later supported the suspended officer's story. [continues 466 words]
Feds up profit split on pot deals So, pot czar Justin Trudeau, realizing his actual street dealers were on the verge of a revolt, turned to his Mr. Big, Bill Morneau, and told him to divvy up a more saleable split of the profits from upcoming pot deals. When profits are projected to be in the billions, honour among thieves, and we say "thieves" with all due respect, begins to lose its lustre. After all, it will be the street dealers who will be taking on the majority of the risk, meaning all those premiers hypnotized by dollar signs who will have to set up their own turf, build their own drug outlets, collect the juice from the sales, and deal with law enforcement should the criminal element invade their space. [continues 500 words]
As we stumble down the cobblestones on the uneven and relatively unchartered path to marijuana legalization, we're bound to trip once or twice. But so far, we have to give props to the provincial government for appearing to get it right. So far we have agreed with the legal age of 18, we accept the private/public sales model and, for the most part, agree with rules on where you can and can't smoke up. This week's successful negotiation with the federal government on tax revenue is another case in point. [continues 375 words]
Back in the day, before society was enlightened and educated, homosexuality was a crime and people who broke the law were punished. Now those people have received one of (Prime Minister Justin) Trudeau's famous, weekly, tearful apologies, along with some cash and all is forgiven. I don't agree with the way the LGBTQ people were treated but it was a different world back then and we learn from our mistakes. Unfortunately, now the precedent has been set. Cannabis is about to become mainstream after decades of being illegal, so I suppose anyone who has been charged, convicted or incarcerated relating to a pot offence will also receive a heartfelt, tearful apology and erasure of their criminal record, along with a cheque to go with it? Along with everyone else in Canada, I'm suffering pretty severe trauma watching our massive joke of a prime minister as he continually embarrasses Canadians and wastes our hard-earned money. So in a few years, I'm fully expecting a tearful, heartfelt apology from whomever replaces Trudeau to all Canadians along with a few million bucks to go with it. Oh, wait, who pays the bill for that? Chris Rose (There's no end to the number of people who have been badly treated over the years. It's called history.) [end]
A union that represents 3,000 oilsands workers at Suncor Energy sites i n northeastern Alberta has won a court injunction against random drug testing. Unifor Local 707- A had argued that random testing would be a violation of workers' rights and privacy. Calgary-based Suncor has said random tests are needed to bolster safety and wanted to start the program this month. In his ruling, Queen's Bench Justice Paul Belzil said the privacy rights of employees are just as important as safety. "In my view the balance of convenience favours granting the injunction," Belzil said in a written judgment released Thursday. [continues 388 words]
Nenshi wants share of federal tax revenues The legalization of recreational marijuana will cost the city of Calgary more than $10 million annually in policing, bylaw and administration costs - a tab the mayor wants the federal government to ease by giving municipalities a one-third share of tax revenues from pot sales. Council's Intergovernmental Affairs Committee heard Thursday that administration's latest estimates peg the price of cannabis legalization on city coffers at between $9 million and $12 million every year - the equivalent of about a one per cent increase in property taxes annually. [continues 428 words]
The County of Strathcona prides itself on being a "champion for advancing diverse agricultural business." We hope that you keep this spirit in mind when voting on the request to place a moratorium on cannabis operations under intensive horticulture in Strathcona County. As a county that puts priority on being a place that is open for business and investment, this moratorium is counter-intuitive to Strathcona's strategic priorities and goals. With agricultural expertise and well-honed entrepreneurial spirit, Alberta is poised to be a leader in the Canadian cannabis industry. [continues 787 words]
A group of Alberta's future doctors are calling on the provincial government to use cannabis tax revenue to fund mental health initiatives for youth. At least, that will be the pitch when 40 medical students from the University of Alberta and University of Calgary get together Monday with MLAs from various parties. The Alberta Medical Students' Association has previously used its annual meeting at the legislature to push for investments in mental health, but this time the group wants funding for young adults and children at risk of adverse childhood experience. They are also calling for the formation of a cannabis and youth advisory board to work on future prevention, education and intervention efforts. [continues 289 words]
Alberta cities want to hash out details on dealing with fallout from legalized marijuana Who's going to do what, who's going to pay for what?" Barry Morishita, Alberta Urban Municipalities Association The newly elected president of the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association, Barry Morishita, said the NDP government has been good at keeping municipalities in the loop as it works through cannabis legalization. But the Brooks mayor said municipalities are still looking for answers in some areas as the July 1, 2018, deadline for legalization moves ever closer. [continues 627 words]
Top grower says science convinced him despite his initial reluctance Jim Hole is getting into the commercial cannabis game and he couldn't be happier. In fact, the St. Albert greenhouse owner who has dedicated a lifetime to horticulture can't remember the last time he was this excited about growing a plant. This week, Hole's Greenhouses and Atlas Growers, an Alberta-based medicinal and recreational cannabis producer, joined forces to create a partnership that they hope will produce the very best commercial quality harvest of legal marijuana in the industry. [continues 331 words]
On Monday, Nov. 27, The Cannabis Act passed third reading. This was the last vote in the House of Commons before the legislation goes to the Senate for review and approval. The government's plan is to have marijuana on the market for recreational use starting July 1, 2018. I voted "no" to this legislation. Here's why: The Liberal government has been told by numerous authorities, including the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, to slow down. There's no reason the legislation needs to come into effect on July 1, 2018 and law enforcement agents have warned the government of the negative impact its rushed time frame will have on officers and the safety of Canadians. [continues 782 words]
CALGARY - It looks like Canadian Olympic gold medalist snowboarder Ross Rebagliati may have been right all along. Rebagliati, the first Olympic gold medalist for Men's Snowboarding at the 1998 Winter Olympics, was initially disqualified after THC, the main ingredient in marijuana, was found in his system in a drug test. The decision was eventually overturned since cannabis wasn't a banned substance but Rebagliati maintained the positive drug test was the result of second-hand smoke. Now a study from the Cummings School of Medicine at the University of Calgary seems to support his claim. [continues 358 words]
While support for cannabis legalization has grown tremendously in recent years, it's also true that there isn't unanimous consensus that it's the right thing to do. However, it's also the case that legalization is for all intents and purposes a done deal, and so arguments against it are rather moot at this point. Moreover, bizarre and irrational arguments against legalization are not only moot, but really only serve to embarrass and discredit those making them. For Alberta's new United Conservative Party, dabbling in such foolishness would represent a totally avoidable self-inflicted wound. Obviously, the Rachel Notley government did not legalize cannabis, but rather - as is the case with every other province - is designing and implementing regulations around legalization. [continues 554 words]
Issues to be resolved include licensing, zoning and added cost of enforcement Cities and towns across Alberta are looking for details - and possibly cash - from the provincial government in anticipation of legal recreational marijuana next year. The newly elected president of the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association, Barry Morishita, said the NDP government has been good at keeping municipalities in the loop as it works through cannabis legalization. But the Brooks mayor said municipalities are still looking for answers in some areas as the July 1, 2018, deadline for legalization moves ever closer. Money, as usual, is a major issue. "Who's going to fund the cost of services from the change in legislation?" Morishita said in a recent interview. [continues 599 words]
Marijuana advent calendars creating a buzz. With advent (coming from Latin) being one of the most important events in Christianity, as it is revisiting the time leading up to the birth of Jesus Christ, I cannot think of anything more egregious than selling marijuana advent calendars. Maybe pot has already damaged the people's brains who came up with such an outrageous plan. I am sure if they so offended Islam, there would be rioting. I can well imagine when pot is legalized next July, we will see even more of this type of pure lunacy. I hope the orchestrators of this will immediately withdraw these offending calendars. Larry Comeau (Is it really that much different from alcohol advent calendars, which have been around for a while?) [end]
Proposed cannabis tax another hurdle for medical marijuana users Dick Sobsey slowly walks into a meeting room for an informative, thought-provoking and, really, a scratchyour-head conversation that evades the parameters of conventional thinking. "I may be retired," Sobsey said, referring to his distinguished career as Professor Emeritus at the University of Alberta. "But," he paused before, almost theatrically, lowering the boom, "I'm still complaining." Quite on the contrary, to be brutally honesty. Aside from Sobsey's intellectual prowess, the role, I think, he tightly embraces the most is father to David: a 27-yearold grown man who lives with intractable epilepsy, [continues 368 words]
Everyone wants a safe work environment, including the provincial NDP government, which this week introduced a number of measures aimed at reducing injuries and deaths on job sites. Employees will now have the right to refuse work they deem to be dangerous, for instance. They've always had the ability to reject tasks they felt put them at risk, but instead of protection being included in the Occupational Health and Safety Act, it will soon form part of Bill 30, the cleverly titled An Act to Protect the Health and Well-being of Working Albertans. [continues 361 words]
Re: "Booze, drugs 'profound' woes, Suncor says," Nov. 28. There has been little concern expressed during its committee study by the Trudeau government, in its rush to legalize marijuana, about the real possibility of an increase in accidents in the workplace, once it becomes legal. Unlike alcohol, which is excreted from one's body in about 12 hours, THC remains in the system for many, many days. This means workers can show up on the job still partially stoned. There is also the real likelihood more workers will be using marijuana on the job, thereby placing themselves and co-workers at an increased risk of injury or death. [continues 53 words]
Canada is currently in the midst of an opioid overdose crisis. The two most western provinces and territories - British Columbia, Alberta, Yukon and the Northwest Territories - have been hit especially hard, likely due to their relative proximity to China, where much of the powerful synthetic opioid fentanyl is produced. According to Government of Canada statistics from 2016, B.C. and Yukon each had more than 15 opioid overdoses per 100,000 people, while Alberta and N.W.T. each had between 10 and 14.9 overdoses per 100,000 people. [continues 514 words]
Trudeau's Liberals have been rushing their campaign promise to legalize marijuana in Canada while medical professionals, provinces, municipalities, Canada's policing community and the Conservative Opposition have raised serious concerns on the timeline and the impacts. This week the Liberal government released an online consultation about their new regulations. They are repeating many of the mistakes recently highlighted as problems in Colorado. The Colorado Spring Gazette reported that after five years of legalized marijuana the negative community and youth impacts have been significant and problematic. High school drug violations were up 71 per cent along with an increase in school suspensions. Grade school children, kids aged 5-13, saw drug violations increase 45 per cent. Marijuana use among Colorado youth was the highest in the United States, even though the legal age to purchase and possess is 21 years old. Deadly crashes where drivers tested positive for marijuana doubled in five years. Homelessness growth is among the top of their country. In fact, the legalization of marijuana has attracted many homeless to Colorado, putting strains on their supports systems. [continues 243 words]
Police and Courts OTTAWA - Alberta's premier says she's worried that marijuana legalization could drive up policing and court bills her province cannot afford to pay. The justice system is already overburdened and enforcing new pot-related measures could make things worse, Rachel Notley warned in an interview with The Canadian Press. Notley said she was surprised by the recent federal proposal to levy an excise tax on recreational marijuana once it becomes legal next July, with the provinces and territories receiving just half the revenue. [continues 359 words]
Why is the federal government in such a hurry to pass its marijuana legalization legislation when there are still so many questions and so few answers? Recently, the Alberta Association of Chiefs of Police said that the legislation is coming too fast, stating that, "There is insufficient time to prepare the necessary legislative framework and regulations to ensure the public safety." The Canadian Association of Police Chiefs warned that it will be "impossible" to be ready for the government's target of legalizing marijuana by July 2018. Do these things not matter? [continues 193 words]
Re: "Warnings, plain covers for pot packaging," Nov. 22. Aside from bona fide medical use, it seems pot legalization may help lull a populace into a sleepwalking oblivion from the world and issues. More happy campers, more votes? By the way, will there be surgeon general warnings on pot packages? Marijuana effects can include secondhand smoke, dependency, mental impairment, impaired driving, seizures, psychosis, damaged blood vessels, chronic bronchitis, strokes, heart attack, etc. Cigarette producers may be rubbing their hands with glee, with finally a double standard perhaps exonerating them. Then there's the spectre of bootleg marijuana to underage people. Will the next move be a marijuana leaf Cannabian flag? Will the motto be Qu'ils mangent de la brioche - "Let them eat cake," or translated nowadays, "Let them smoke pot.' Jeff Miller, Calgary [end]
Suncor faces "profound problems" with drugs and alcohol at its oilsands operations, including accidents, injuries and death, according to documents filed to support the company's push for increased testing. The energy giant wants to start random drug and alcohol testing Friday in the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo (RMWB), more than five years after Unifor local 707A won an injunction putting the proposed program on hold until an arbitration board's decision. Although the board sided with the union, a judge later overturned the ruling, a verdict upheld in September by the Alberta Court of Appeal, which ordered a new arbitration hearing. Unifor, which is seeking leave to appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada, will ask for another injunction Thursday, but Suncor argues in court documents there has been 73 safety incidents in the last four years where workers tested positive for drugs or alcohol. These include a driver whose idling, unattended truck rolled into a gas oil unit; a forklift operator lifting a 4,500-kg pipe that rolled to the ground; and a dozer driver whose machine tipped over, environment, health and safety vice-president Mike Agnew states in an affidavit. [continues 337 words]
The number of people in Alberta who died by accidentally overdosing on fentanyl in the first nine months of this year has exceeded the total number of deaths attributed to fentanyl in all of 2016, according to a new provincial report. The Alberta government says 400 people died between January and the end of September by accidentally consuming fatal amounts of fentanyl, compared with 357 for all of last year. On average, 1.8 people have died every day from accidentally overdosing on opioids, which include fentanyl, in the province. [continues 518 words]
Latest statistics suggest Alberta will see nearly 550 fentanyl-tied deaths this year Fentanyl-related overdoses killed 400 Albertans in the first nine months of the year, according to new statistics on the opioid crisis that also revealed a disturbing rise in the emergence of highly toxic carfentanil. The numbers, released Monday in Alberta Health's latest quarterly report, show the province has avoided any major spikes in fentanyl fatalities this year, but has also failed to stop the death toll from climbing. [continues 401 words]
Re: Paying for the privilege of smoking pot. Premier (Rachel) Notley stated this week that legal pot could see justice costs climb and questioned who should be paying - the provinces or the federal government? But additional judicial costs should not be her only concern. The Canadian Centre on Substance Use revealed the cost of marijuana-only drugged driving crashes cost Canadians in excess of $1.09 billion in 2012 alone. Marijuana use is now resulting in far too many young users being admitted to psychiatric hospitals. The level of potency and the prevalence of daily use is causing tremendous damage to the minds and health of many. Some 27% of Canadians who are 15 years of age and older who use marijuana use this drug everyday. The addiction rate for daily use is one in two. Marijuana is linked to episodes of psychiatric breaks of reality, a seven-fold increase in risk of suicide ideation, and early onset of schizophrenia - in some cases by seven years. Marijuana legalization will see more marijuana use, not less, and it will cost both the user and non-user greatly. Pamela McColl (And yet here we are.) [end]
Occasionally, Alberta's NDP government manages to demonstrate that it is capable of balance and pragmatism. Unfortunately, that also underscores the frustration of so frequently seeing them do the opposite. In preparing for legalized cannabis, the NDP must have been awfully tempted to follow the advice of their friends in the labour movement and build a network of government-built and government-operated retail outlets. But other than a pre-existing ideological bent, there really wasn't a case to be made for such an approach. The costs would be considerable, and there would not necessarily be any corresponding payoff in terms of better outcomes. Moreover, it would simply delay the rollout of legalized cannabis and prove to be a gift to the black market. [continues 556 words]
Why is the federal government in such a hurry to pass its marijuana legalization legislation when there are still so many questions and so few answers? Just last week, the Alberta Association of Chiefs of Police said that the legislation is coming too fast, stating that, "There is insufficient time to prepare the necessary legislative framework and regulations to ensure the public safety." The Canadian Association of Police Chiefs warned that it will be "impossible" to be ready for the government's target of legalizing marijuana by July 2018. Do these things not matter? [continues 200 words]
Why is the federal government in such a hurry to pass marijuana legalization legislation when there are still so many questions? The Alberta Association of Chiefs of Police said the legislation is coming too fast, stating, "there is insufficient time to prepare the necessary legislative framework and regulations to ensure the public safety." Do these things not matter? Why is government not listening to its own department of health which warned youth under the age of 25, whose brains are still developing, should not be smoking marijuana? Why are they ignoring evidence that says more youth will smoke marijuana and car crashes due to impairment will increase significantly? [continues 51 words]
A Vancouver cannabis firm with holdings in Alberta and a greenhouse under construction in California expects to debut its shares on a Canadian stock exchange in the coming weeks - with big warnings to investors. Sunniva Inc. will be the first pot stock to hold an initial public offering after securities regulators set out new rules for companies with assets in the United States, where cannabis remains federally illegal. While several U.S. states have liberalized cannabis laws, securities watchdogs in Canada say there are risks with investing in cannabis stocks that have American assets, including that the companies face potential asset seizures and prosecution by federal U.S. authorities. [continues 442 words]
Why is the federal government in such a hurry to pass its marijuana legalization when there are still so many questions and so few answers? Just this week, the Alberta Association of Chiefs of Police said the legislation is coming too fast, stating, "There is insufficient time to prepare the necessary legislative framework and regulations to ensure the public safety." The Canadian Association of Police Chiefs warned it will be "impossible" to be ready for the government's target of legalizing marijuana by July 1, 2018. Do these things not matter? [continues 187 words]
The rules governing legal marijuana sales in Alberta, released by the NDP government on Thursday, are a bit uptight. Really!? Licensed pot dispensaries won't be able to sell customers tortilla chips at the same time they sell them a 4g bag of Purple Kush or Grape Ape or Bubba Rockstar? Do the NDP truly believe that consumption of Doritos leads to overdosing on weed use rather than the other way around? What's the problem with letting Albertans kill two cravings with one stoner? [continues 432 words]
Legal pot a danger to youth, he says SHERWOOD PARK - Utah Johanson wears three rings on his fingers: a skull to show that death is always close, a Harley-Davidson ring from his dad and a ring in the shape of the number 13 - unlucky 13 - to show the life he lived and his misfortunes. His T-shirt reads: "If you don't like something change it; if you can't change it, change your attitude." The 21-year-old, who now dreams of being an engineer or physicist, was once a drug dealer. He is currently an honours student at NorQuest College, studying physics and math. [continues 284 words]
U of A prof calls misinformation about pot 'alarming' In light of the Alberta government announcing its regulations for the retail sale of marijuana, Metro spoke with a public health expert Tuesday to clarify some hazy topics around legalization. Elaine Hyshka, professor in the University of Alberta's school of public health and co-chair of the Minister's Opioid Emergency Response Commission, said it's "alarming" how much misinformation circulates on cannabis, and she helped us bust the myths. Myth #1: Legalization will lead to a spike in cannabis use among young people [continues 396 words]
Former addict speaks at cannabis legalization forum SHERWOOD PARK - Utah Johanson wears three rings on his fingers: a skull to show that death is always close, a Harley-davidson ring from his dad and a ring in the shape of the number 13 - unlucky 13 - to show the life he lived and his misfortunes. His T-shirt reads: "If you don't like something change it; if you can't change it, change your attitude." The 21-year-old, who now dreams of being an engineer or studying physics, was once a drug dealer. He is currently an honours student at Norquest College, studying physics and math. [continues 284 words]
Landlords hope for Human Rights Act exemption Alberta landlords are asking the province to nip possible human rights cases in the bud when it comes to cannabis use in rental properties, but the province doesn't see that happening. In a letter to the province, the Alberta Residential Landlords Association asked the province to revisit the residential tenancies act. The group is also asking for an exception to the Alberta Human Rights Act to make sure the right to prohibit cannabis smoking and growing is crystal clear. [continues 389 words]
Alberta won't limit the number of private cannabis stores once retail sales are legalized next July, according to new details released Thursday by the NDP government. The province confirmed that it will look to private retailers to sell legal weed from brick-and-mortar storefronts, instead of government-run outlets chosen by several other provinces, such as Ontario and Quebec. Online sales in Alberta, however, will be available through a publicly run system, which is meant to ensure residents can tell the difference between legal and illicit retailers on the internet. [continues 741 words]
On the street, a dealer selling pot at $10 per gram better deliver the goods - high THC content sufficient to get a good buzz - or clientele will go elsewhere. Word gets around fast. Similarly, if the provincial government doesn't deliver the goods, plans to reap millions in taxes from selling pot will go up in smoke. The government hasn't said a word about the THC content in its pot and journalists have been remiss in not asking this, the most important question. If the THC content is the same as or close to the content found in medical marijuana, there most certainly will not be a buzz. And that's the main reason for smoking a joint. Neighbourhood dealers may have nothing to fear. [continues 58 words]
The Alberta government's proposed rules for selling legal marijuana are a bit fuddy-duddy. For the most part, they're pretty good. Private retailers will handle in-person sales; unionized government workers will be in charge of online purchases. (Please allow six to eight weeks for delivery). What the Notley government is proposing is very likely a workable system. It will not eliminate illegal weed sales entirely. But it will make buying bud convenient enough that most people will be persuaded to go the law-abiding-citizen route. [continues 550 words]
Be smart. Not stupid. As we travel down the road to pot legalization in Canada, provincial governments across the country are scrambling to update a number of laws, including impaired driving rules. Here in Alberta, the government has announced its changes to impaired-driving legislation. The NDs plan to impose a maximum $1,000 fine for a positive blood test of two to five nanograms per millimetre of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), along with a minimum $1,000 fine for a first-time conviction on a reading above five. [continues 315 words]
Pot rules largely workable but ban on weed sales at liquor stores makes no sense The Alberta government's proposed rules for selling legal marijuana are a bit fuddy-duddy. For the most part, they're pretty good. Private retailers will handle in-person sales; unionized government workers will be in charge of online purchases. (Please allow 6 to 8 weeks for delivery). What the Notley government is proposing is very likely a workable system. It will not eliminate illegal weed sales entirely. But it will make buying bud convenient enough that most people will be persuaded to go the law-abiding-citizen route. [continues 550 words]
Alberta's police chiefs are feeling "overwhelmed" figuring out how to adjust policing practices ahead of marijuana legalization, Edmonton police Chief Rod Knecht said. "The timelines are extremely tight," Knecht said outside an Edmonton Police Commission meeting at city hall on Thursday. In an open letter, the Alberta Association of Chiefs of Police warned the scheduled July 1, 2018, legalization leaves "insufficient time for the full consideration necessary in the creation of the regulatory framework to ensure the safety of Albertans." [continues 232 words]
Private operators still await rules for selling legal weed starting July 1 Alberta won't limit the number of private cannabis stores once retail sales are legalized next July, according to new details released Thursday by the NDP government. The province confirmed that private retailers will sell legal weed from brick-and-mortar storefronts, instead of government-run outlets chosen by several other provinces, including Ontario and Quebec. Online sales in Alberta, however, will be available through a publicly run system, which is meant to ensure residents can tell the difference between legal and illicit retailers on the internet. [continues 775 words]
Potential retailers comment as Alberta releases rules for cannabis shops, sales Private retailers who want to sell legal marijuana in Alberta next July 1 won't be able to do so alongside alcohol, or even a bag of chips. Under proposed rules introduced by the province Thursday, retailers will be restricted to sales of cannabis and cannabis-related goods such as lighters and rolling papers. There's no word on how much legal marijuana will cost, but 420 Clinic founder Jeff Mooij says that won't matter to consumers. [continues 407 words]
Private retailers who want to sell legal marijuana in Alberta come July 1 won't be able to do so alongside alcohol, or even a bag of chips. Under proposed rules introduced by the provincial government Thursday, retailers will be restricted to sales of cannabis and cannabis-related goods. Stores also will have to operate under a specific cannabis business licence. That means liquor stores won't be able to set up a wall and a separate storefront with booze on one side and bud on the other. [continues 423 words]
Private retailers who want to sell legal marijuana in Alberta next July 1 won't be able to do so alongside alcohol, or even a bag of chips. Under proposed rules introduced by the province Thursday, retailers will be restricted to sales of cannabis and cannabis-related goods such as lighters and rolling papers. There's no word on how much legal marijuana will cost, but 420 Clinic founder Jeff Mooij says that won't matter to consumers. As a medical marijuana clinic owner and cannabis user, Mooij said Thursday there is an appetite for clean, safe, regulated weed in Alberta - it's not about paying less than black market drugs, but knowing where the product is coming from. [continues 367 words]
Alberta will let the market reign when it comes to bricks-and-mortar cannabis stores - allowing licensed private outlets to spring up across the province, with the numbers and locations being determined mainly by the owner-operators. However, the Alberta government will also play a major part in the legal recreational cannabis market as it will control and profit from all legal online sales. Alberta is even leaving the door open to having provincial workers deliver the cannabis packages ordered through a government website, instead of by Canada Post or another courier. [continues 606 words]
Marijuana to be legal across Canada July 1 Alberta is putting the legislative pieces in place for legalized marijuana, starting with changes to align its rules with pending Criminal Code amendments. "Impaired driving is the leading cause of criminal death and injury in Canada," Transportation Minister Brian Mason said Tuesday after introducing Bill 29 in the legislature. "If this bill passes, it will support our government's goal of zero impairment (and) related collisions and fatalities on Alberta roads." Marijuana is to be legal across Canada as of July 1, and the federal government is revising and toughening criminal charges for impaired driving to include cannabis and mixing cannabis with alcohol while behind the wheel. [continues 366 words]
Alberta will bear heavy up front costs as Ottawa grabs half the tax on cannabis sales Under the proposed federal tax on pot, Alberta will run a cannabis deficit for several years, according to provincial officials. This is not an appealing prospect for a government with no shortage of other deficits. It explains why Finance Minister Joe Ceci said last week: "I'm not sure what the federal government is smoking but I can tell you ... this is not going to work for Alberta." [continues 605 words]
NDP proposes penalties for being high at the wheel in preparation for legal weed The NDP introduced new legislation Tuesday that aims to fill the gap in impaired-driving rules ahead of cannabis legalization across Canada. The federal government has proposed specific drug limits as well as penalties for drivers who break the law. Ottawa has also touted the development of a roadside drug test in preparation for the July 1 milestone when cannabis becomes legal. Alberta Transportation Minister Brian Mason said Bill 29 - which updates the Traffic Safety Act - will reduce the number of impaired drivers on the road and encourage safe driving if passed. [continues 458 words]
Police say they're satisfied with provincial legislation Calgary There is currently zero tolerance for any alcohol in the system of a new driver in Alberta, and the province announced it intends to extend that ban to include marijuana. Alberta began putting the legislative pieces in place for legalized marijuana on Tuesday, starting with changes to align its rules with pending federal Criminal Code amendments. "Impaired driving is the leading cause of criminal death and injury in Canada,'' Transportation Minister Brian Mason said after introducing Bill 29 in the legislature. "If this bill passes, it will support our government's goal of zero impairment (and) related collisions and fatalities on Alberta roads.'' [continues 355 words]
Alberta's NDP government has no position on decriminalizing hard drugs but is open to the conversation around the issue, associate health minister Brandy Payne said Monday. As Ottawa moves toward legalizing recreational cannabis next year, recently elected federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has called for the decriminalization of personal possession of all drugs to help combat the escalating problems with opioids. Speaking to reporters, Payne said Alberta has not looked at the idea of decriminalization, noting that the designation of drugs as legal or illegal is a federal responsibility. [continues 483 words]
Alberta is definitely going to pot. But privately, not publicly. According to a good old fashioned scoop by my colleague Emma Graney, the government will introduce legislation next week to allow the private sector to sell marijuana in stand-alone stores starting July of next year. Thus endeth the big mystery over whether pot sales would be done through privately owned shops or government-controlled outlets. These "hemporiums" (I'm really hoping that catches on) will be run much like our private liquor stores that are located all over the place, making a beer run much more convenient than the days of yore (before 1993) when Alberta's government-run liquor stores were the only game in town. [continues 628 words]
Alberta will introduce legislation as soon as next week to allow the establishment of private cannabis stores, and will also launch a battle with Ottawa over how to split the tax revenue from the drug sales. Late Friday, Alberta Finance Minister Joe Ceci held a news conference to slam the federal government's proposal that Ottawa get 50 per cent of the excise tax on marijuana products. The provinces and territories would receive the other half. Ottawa's claim to a large share of the $1 a gram, or 10 per cent of the producer's sale price, is not fair, Mr. Ceci contends. The provinces and municipalities, not Ottawa, will be responsible for related costs, such as policing, education and other implementation work. [continues 575 words]
The provincial government's plan to allow legal marijuana sales at privately owned stores has the business community optimistic about potential opportunities. Less impressed is Finance Minister Joe Ceci, who was grinding his teeth Friday at the federal government's proposed 50/50 split in tax revenue from pot sales. "I'm not sure what the federal government is smoking, but I can tell you that's not going to work for Alberta," he told media. Provinces and municipalities are bearing the brunt of the responsibility around legalized pot sales, he argued, so it's unfair for the federal government to swoop in and grab half of the cash. [continues 342 words]
A discussion on medicinal marijuana, its uses and who is using it was the on the menu at the Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs' weekly speakers series. Dr. Ife Abiola, medical director for the 420 Clinic, spoke on the drug and gave anecdotal information on many of the patents seen at the clinic. He said it is important for local residents to get informed on the drug ahead of impending national legalization. "This is going to be changing a lot of different facets of our lives," he said. "You can expect to be seeing whether it's through a medical clinic, dispensary or other people just using in a ubiquitous way in our lives. Everyone needs to have a certain level of education about this. " [continues 231 words]
But NDP legislation would leave online sales to the government Plans are underway for legal marijuana to be sold in Alberta through private bricks-and-mortar stores, but online sales will be controlled by the government, Postmedia has learned. Legislation governing the sale of weed once it becomes legal July 1 will be introduced in the legislature next week. Governmentcontrolled online sales is meant to alleviate safety concerns raised by Albertans in response to the NDP's planned pot framework, released Oct. 4, sources say. [continues 416 words]
Rick Hanson spent four decades in policing - more than seven of those years as Calgary's chief - where he made a career out of fighting organized crime and the local drug trade. Nearly three years into his retirement, it may come as a surprise he is now involved in the cannabis industry. But Hanson said Wednesday he is among a growing number of former senior police officers across Canada who are leveraging their experiences to ensure legalization is done safely while eliminating criminals from the supply chain. [continues 549 words]
Two former Alberta government cabinet ministers and a police chief are part of a group that is working to promote the legal recreational marijuana industry. Former justice minister Jonathan Denis belongs to an organization called the Canadian Cannabis Chamber that is providing legal, lobbying and security advice to companies as Canada prepares for the legalization of pot next July. Denis said he never dreamed he would be working as an advocate for an industry that will sell a substance that people were arrested for during his years as Alberta's solicitor general. [continues 193 words]
Feds plan to legalize recreational pot by July 2018 The day of cannabis legalization looms over local governments and law enforcement - including Calgary police - but they're taking it in stride. At the October Calgary Police Commission meeting, CPS chief Roger Chaffin said the best time to know the exact legislation to come on July 1 would have been "in the past," but said they're already taking steps to address legalization now. The province's cannabis framework, released in early October, proposes Albertans will have to be at least 18 years old to buy pot from the specialized retail stores selling it. [continues 244 words]
As the province and city ponder their pot policies, how and if Edmontonians will be able to smoke marijuana at festivals is still up in the air. The province's proposed framework treats the inhalation of cannabis in public much like tobacco products, with the added caveat that it can't be used near schools and hospitals or in vehicles. The specifics on how pot will be consumed in public and on festival grounds will ultimately depend on how the different levels of government roll out legislation. [continues 452 words]
That should be the extent of government involvement in the sale of pot There may be one upside in organized labour's embrace of government owned and operated retail cannabis outlets in that it may convert some conservatives who were previously opposed to legalization into champions of private pot proprietors. Otherwise, though, it's hard to see any value in the proposition that the Alberta government be tasked with establishing and overseeing marijuana stores come next year. Last Friday marked the end of the government's consultation process, and it had left the door open on this rather fundamental question. [continues 579 words]
Re. "MP hosts impassioned debate over supervised injection sites in southwest," Oct. 30 The title should have been "MP misses the point." Supervised consumption services (SCS) primarily save lives, and anyone who has lost a loved one can tell you how important that is. Our son Danny died from an overdose in 2014. He was only 25, was a promising young chef and is dearly missed. There are many families like ours who are members in our group Moms Stop The Harm, who live in MP Matt Jeneroux's riding of Edmonton-Riverbend. I encourage him to meet them. [continues 111 words]
Alberta will introduce legislation laying out its plan for cannabis legalization, and also make a final call on whether storefront sales will be managed by government monopoly or private interests, before the end of the year. Alberta laid out the broad strokes of its cannabis plan earlier this month. But NDP government House Leader Brian Mason said Friday the province will introduce two pieces of legislation in the fall sitting: One will deal with the road-safety and impairment aspects of cannabis and the other dealing with cannabis regulation, including distribution, sales, where it can be consumed and the minimum legal age. He added that, across the country, everyone is scrambling to have their own province-specific laws in place before Ottawa's July 1, 2018, deadline for recreational marijuana legalization. [continues 637 words]
Many Canadians can hardly wait for the day that the recreational use of marijuanabecomes legal. As a medical doctor, I'm far less enthusiastic. I worry about two things: The experimental nature of marijuana in medical practice and the public health consequences of legalized marijuana. Before you write me off as overly prudish or an anti-marijuana conservative, let me say out of the gate that I'm not opposed to legalized marijuana in principle - I'm just paying attention to the evidence, or rather, the lack of it. My concern is that as marijuanabecomes more easily available, Canadians may become more inclined to self-medicate with this so-called "miracle drug." [continues 638 words]
Ed Secondiak began his Friday lecture on cannabis in the workplace by cautioning against potential dangers of the soon-to-be-legalized substance. "We would consider marijuana a dangerous drug simply because impairment is not recognized by the individual or perhaps the person (working) with them," said Secondiak, a former drug enforcement RCMP officer who now works with ECS Safety. The talk at Medicine Hat College was organized by APEX and intended for local employers, whom Secondiak encouraged to ask questions at any time. [continues 382 words]
NDP MLA mulls hybrid model for sales as marijuana legalization draws nearer Chatting with MLA Craig Coolahan about the Alberta Heritage Fund this week, a more burning topic of public debate sparked up. Should the Alberta government run its own pot stores? The NDP MLA for Calgary-Klein said the topic keeps resurfacing, particularly as the deadline for public feedback on Alberta's new marijuana framework wraps up Friday. "I've been talking about cannabis all week," said Coolahan, who serves as chair of the legislative committee on the Alberta Heritage Savings Trust Fund. [continues 837 words]
To paraphrase rock outfit The White Stripes: Premier Rachel Notley, we've said it once before but it bears repeating. Do not listen to public sector unions when it comes to marijuana sales in Alberta. Following on the heels of the Alberta Federation of Labour, the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) members last weekend voted in favour of a resolution supporting the sale of cannabis in provincially run stores when the practice is made legal next July. As we have previously stated in this space, the sales should be left to the private sector, which has the experience and track record in managing sales of a regulated product - tobacco and alcohol. [continues 268 words]
To paraphrase rock outfit The White Stripes: Premier Notley, we've said it once before but it bears repeating. Do not listen to public sector unions when it comes to marijuana sales in Alberta. Following on the heels of the Alberta Federation of Labour, the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) members last weekend voted in favour of a resolution supporting the sale of cannabis in provincially run stores when the practice is made legal next July. As we have previously stated in this space, the sales should be left to the private sector, which has the experience and track record in managing sales of a regulated product - tobacco and alcohol. [continues 269 words]
Coalition of agencies is working to provide 24/7 service, Shelley Williams writes. Access to Medically Supervised Injection Services Edmonton, known as AMSISE, is a coalition of 25 individuals and groups, including people with lived experience, community agencies, medical, academic, and public sector representatives. AMSISE started as a conversation with Edmonton's harm reduction needle distribution service, Streetworks, in January of 2012 and continues to be a community-driven initiative. The focus is on people with severe and chronic addictions, usually homeless, whose chaotic and furtive injection-drug use takes place in unsafe environments, including parks, back alleys, behind dumpsters, along fences, and in agency and public washrooms. Multiple studies have established a direct link between unstable housing and public injecting. Communities will benefit by reducing unsafe needle debris as an unintentional hazard. [continues 438 words]
Heated debate erupted in the gymnasium at Dr. Margaret-Ann Armour School Saturday as residents of Edmonton-Riverbend argued over whether their suburban community would ever welcome supervised injection sites. "It was pretty clear that a lot of people weren't supportive of safe injection sites coming into suburban areas, which we've been hearing through letters to the office and phone calls," said Matt Jeneroux, MP for Edmonton-Riverbend. Supervised injection sites - where intravenous drug users can inject under the supervision of medical professionals as a way to reduce overdose deaths - are approved for the Royal Alexandra Hospital, the Boyle McCauley Health Centre, Boyle Street Community Services and the George Spady Society. [continues 506 words]
It would be crazy to hold these stocks into the legalization date, because in my opinion there's just too much exuberance and too much anticipation. Rob Armstrong, an oil camp chef living in northern Alberta, plunked $37,000 of his savings into marijuana stocks a year and a half ago. He's quadrupled his money. Retail investors like Armstrong and larger institutional players have been getting rich from the high-stakes game of betting on the peaks and valleys of cannabis stocks. [continues 1256 words]
Safe sites for drug users stir up heated debate at MP-led community forum in southwest Edmonton Heated debate erupted in the gymnasium at Dr. Margaret-Ann Armour School Saturday as residents of Edmonton-Riverbend argued over whether their suburban community would ever welcome supervised injection sites. "It was pretty clear that a lot of people weren't supportive of safe injection sites coming into suburban areas, which we've been hearing through letters to the office and phone calls," said Matt Jeneroux, member of parliament for Edmonton-Riverbend. [continues 550 words]
The Alberta Party says a network of publicly owned cannabis stores will cost at least $168 million, a price it says is too steep to pay when the private sector is lined up to serve the market when recreational marijuana is legalized next year. The NDP government has mandated that legal weed be sold in stand-alone stores but has not yet decided whether to set up government-owned and operated stores or allow private retailers. In a news release Monday, Alberta Party Leader Greg Clark pegged the cost of a public system at $168.4 million. [continues 383 words]
The evidence points to an urgent need, say Elaine Hyshka and Cameron Wild. Last week, Health Canada issued the approvals to establish supervised consumption services in Edmonton. Scientific evidence consistently supports the individual and community benefits of these services, and local data demonstrate an urgent need for them in our inner city. Unfortunately, some people allege ("Safe injection sites will hurt vulnerable communities," Oct. 21) the scientific evidence used to support Health Canada's decision is biased and not credible. We write to correct this misrepresentation of facts. [continues 582 words]
Safe injection sites only serve to delay the inevitable downward spiral of life for addicts. In the meantime, larger and larger areas of downtown become even more unlivable as the number of addicts rises. This leads to more robberies, assaults, murders as addicts commit crimes to support their lifestyles and dealers fight for market share and territory. We only have a couple of options: One is to supply addicts with drugs and supplies under condition they don't commit any crimes. Since they're addicts, they'd be under our control. A total enablement and surrender if there ever was one. Or, more realistically, as a society we need to make some fundamental changes toward drug treatment. Make detox more available and, once voluntarily entered, a person cannot leave until the program is complete. P.M. Zupan, Edmonton [end]
Did anyone expect the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees to decide the sale of legal marijuana is best put in the hands of private enterprise? Delegates to the union's convention in Edmonton on the weekend passed a resolution that - gasp - "all cannabis retail outlets be publicly owned and operated by the Government of Alberta or one of its regulated agencies." Union members - or more precisely, their executive and the employees they hire - rely on dues to keep the lights on at the AUPE office. The addition of a few thousand card-carrying marijuana retail workers would add a shine to the AUPE's ledgers. [continues 330 words]
Alberta health officials are handing out between 2,000 and 3,000 naloxone kits a month to combat a lethal fentanyl epidemic. In two years of providing at least 30,972 of the free kits that include the anti-narcotic formula, Naloxone has reversed a reported 2,330 overdoses in the province, said Dr. Nick Etches, medical officer of health for the Calgary region. "Certainly, there have been more reversals than reported, the majority of times people are not telling us," he said, also noting those numbers are as of Sept. 30, and don't include naloxone interventions delivered by medical professionals. [continues 468 words]
The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) has adopted a resolution supporting the public sale of marijuana when the drug becomes legal next year. The federal government plans to legalize marijuana by July 1, 2018, but has left many of the details - including how the drug will be sold - - up to the provinces. On the last day of its annual convention Saturday, members of the AUPE, Alberta's largest labour organization, endorsed a resolution that "all cannabis retail outlets be publicly owned and operated by the Government of Alberta or one of its regulated agencies." [continues 358 words]
Supervised drug consumption site set to open Jan. 2 What's old will be renewed again in a bid to save lives from the rising number of drug overdoses in Lethbridge. Government officials and local media received a tour Friday of the city's future supervised consumption site, currently under construction. The former Pulse nightclub is being transformed into what will become a "clean and safe space" area for drug users to snort, inhale, inject or swallow drugs while under the supervision of healthcare professionals and without fear of arrest. [continues 1061 words]
My hope is that the supervised injection sites recently approved at four locations in Edmonton will become a jumping-off point for heroin-assisted treatment (HAT) in our province. In my opinion, it is the only way to tackle the opioid scourge that is leaving a trail of bodies in its wake. Countries like Switzerland have experienced rates of homelessness and property crime associated with problematic drug use approaching zero per cent after approving the use of HAT by qualified doctors. This approach is counter-intuitive to many, but the numbers speak for themselves. The health authority in the United Kingdom figures that for every dollar spent on harm reduction, it saves $3 in health services and enforcement. Steven Zerebeski, Beaumont [end]
Vancouver's experience isn't very encouraging, writes Warren Champion. The news tells us the epicentre of opioid/fentanyl deaths appears to be situated in the urban core of Edmonton, specifically, in the communities of Central McDougall and McCauley. The three levels of government created an organization named AMSISE - Access to Medically Supervised Injection Services. AMSISE applied to the federal government on May 1 for a waiver that would allow approved sites to provide supervised injection services. The rationale given was "the spike in opioid-related overdose deaths has pushed the need for an effective set of responses into the forefront for community and government." [continues 618 words]
Remand Centre hopes technology cuts in-custody overdoses, boosts staff safety Edmonton Remand Centre inmates will go through an electronic body scanner to counter the smuggling of increasingly toxic drugs and other contraband into the lockup. The scanner, similar to those used by airport security, takes a full body X-ray. The remand centre, which showed off the new equipment Wednesday, is the first correctional facility in Alberta to test the technology. New inmates, transferred inmates and inmates suspected of having contraband will be put through the scanner, said Ken Johnston, security director of the remand centre, which houses about 1,500 people in custody awaiting trial. [continues 314 words]
Supporters of Edmonton's Chinatown and urban community league members say they 're disappointed with the Ottawa's approval of four supervised drug consumption sites in the city's core. "We feel that it's an extremely unfair decision, and not well-informed," Michael Lee, chairman of the Chinese Benevolent Association, said Wednesday. "The basic rights of some communities (were) totally ignored." Alberta Health announced Wednesday that its federal counterpart had approved three supervised injection sites in Edmonton's downtown core and supervised consumption services for inpatients at the Royal Alexandra Hospital. [continues 276 words]
Alberta's first supervised drug injection sites will open within months at four locations in Edmonton's inner city after receiving approval from Health Canada, the provincial government announced Wednesday. Proponents hailed the news as a "long overdue" step that will save lives and direct more addicts into treatment. The goal is to get three community sites open by late December or early January, while a fourth facility at the Royal Alexandra Hospital is anticipated to open sometime in the spring of 2018. [continues 1235 words]
Health Canada approved the first few supervised consumption facilities in Alberta on Wednesday, including a site in downtown Lethbridge. ARCHES and Edmonton-based coalition AMSISE received an exemption from federal drug legislation, allowing them to operate supervised consumption sites. Four sites are slated to open, three in Edmonton and one in Lethbridge, which will operate out of the former night club Pulse. The application process for Lethbridge moved quicker than most and Jill Manning, the managing director of ARCHES, feels that may be a result of the unique issues Lethbridge is facing around substance use. [continues 571 words]
By next summer, a brave new world will dawn on Edmonton streets. Smokers will openly, and quite legally under certain restrictions, puff on joints purchased from a cannabis store selling a line of products sanctioned by and maybe even distributed by a provincial agency. If the Notley government decides to adopt a public retailing system instead of a private model, the province itself may adopt the role of pot dealer - a scenario that a few scant years ago would have rightly elicited a "what-have-you-been-smoking?" response in a region traditionally known for small-c conservative values. [continues 344 words]
It is great to see Edmonton embracing supervised injection sites. The number of people dying from fentanyl (thousands per year) would be alarming but for the general indifference our governments have for drug users. The war on drugs directly causes fentanyl deaths; people trying to use cocaine inadvertently use fentanyl, then overdose. The war on drugs directly supports organized crime. If all drugs were legal and regulated, cartels would not exist: they are the only group that benefits from this policy. [continues 74 words]
I was disturbed by the language of Shelly Williams when talking about safe injection sites. "This is for people who are injecting substances in unsafe environments, and providing them the opportunity to inject in a safe place where we can deepen relationships." She leaves out that the substances are illegal, and it has a $2.3 M annual cost. Food bank demand is surging, kids are going to school hungry and our government is coddling drug addicts? Jason Morton (The goal is to defray costs to the healthcare system and prevent deaths.) [end]
It doesn't make sense to invest (public) money to set up infrastructure here. Premier Rachel Notley won't say which way her NDP government is leaning when it comes to sales of legal cannabis, but she insists the province is carefully weighing the merits of both the public and private sector options. Under its policy framework unveiled last week, the NDP will allow recreational marijuanato be sold only in stand-alone stores once it is legalized next year, but the government is still weighing whether to set up a system of government owned and operated stores, or leave retail to the private sector. [continues 478 words]
Premier Rachel Notley won't say which way her NDP government is leaning when it comes to sales of legal cannabis, but she insists the province is carefully weighing the merits of public- and private-sector options. Under its policy framework unveiled last week, the NDP will allow recreational marijuana to be sold only in standalone stores once cannabis is legalized next year, but the government is still weighing whether to set up a system of government owned and operated stores, or leave retail to the private sector. [continues 274 words]
The health implications of legalized cannabis and ways to combat Canada's rising opioid problem are on the agenda when health ministers meet this week in the Alberta capital. Provincial and territorial ministers will hold discussions today and will get an update on the marijuana file from federal counterpart Ginette Petipas Taylor on Friday. Manitoba Health Minister Kelvin Goertzen says he wants to know more about the impacts on health and on the health system. "Many studies show that people are affected by the consumption of marijuana up until the age of 25 because there can be long-term effects if the brain is still developing up until that age," said Goertzen. [continues 308 words]
In more than 35 years as an emergency room physician, Dan Morhaim has learned a lot about opioids. The doctor, Maryland state legislator and faculty member at the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health said he has had the opportunity to talk to thousands of drug users while treating patients. "It's given me tremendous insight into what goes on and that's informed a lot of the policies that I've promoted," he said. The physician was in Calgary on Wednesday to speak about that approach as part of a University of Calgary School of Public Policy and O'Brien Institute of Public Health event. [continues 396 words]
Inside Alberta
