Category Archives: Misc Other

Misc Other

Medical marijuana mess: Winnipeg doctor censured after charging patients for pot paperwork

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Dr. Roman Chubaty billed patients up to $300 for authorization, says College of Physicians and Surgeons. 

 A Winnipeg doctor has been censured after charging patients for authorization paperwork in order to get medical marijuana. (Sara Calnek/CBC). 

A Winnipeg doctor has been censured after charging patients for authorization paperwork in order to get medical marijuana. 

On Dec. 9, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba censured Dr. Roman Chubaty for charging patients between $200 and $300 to complete paperwork around medical marijuana, a violation of the college’s standards and conduct. 

“Physicians are entitled to charge patients a fee for uninsured services, but the fee must be reasonable in the circumstances,” the disciplinary report said. 

Censures create a disciplinary record which may be considered in any future investigation or hearing about a doctor, according to the college.  

Chubaty, who runs two walk-in clinics in Winnipeg, started providing medical marijuana authorization to patients in July 2014 and stopped a year later, according to the report. 

Assessment form 

Patients had to complete an assessment form before they saw the doctor which explained the condition for which they needed marijuana and other treatments attempted. 

In its investigation, the college said it was concerned that Chubaty also required patients to provide him with a release of their right to complain or take legal action before he would authorize the use of medical marijuana. 

“The physician/patient relationship is a fiduciary one, which requires the physician to place the interests of the patient above his or her own interests and which requires good faith and candour on the part of the physician in dealing with his or her patient,” the disciplinary report said. 

“For those reasons, requiring a patient to sign a release of legal action and of the right to complain before providing care to the patient is inappropriate and outside of the standards of the profession.” 

Chubaty paid $3,803 for the costs of the investigation, the report added. 

Connected to dispensary 

In July 2015, Chubaty distanced himself from Your Medical Cannabis Headquarters on Main Street after police forced the dispensary to shut down. 

Dispensary owner Glenn Price said Chubaty was the only doctor willing to help people get proper medical documentation. 

At the time, Chubaty said he was following Health Canada’s guidelines and charged $300 for paperwork. 

He added he didn’t encourage patients to purchase marijuana through dispensaries, and instead gave them a list of licensed producers. 

Records destroyed 

“I can’t control what happens once they go out of the office,” Chubaty told CBC in 2015. “I can tell them, ‘You want to be legal, here’s your certificate, here are the dispensaries that Health Canada has authorized.'” 

However, the college’s investigation found that Chubaty saw some patients at a marijuana compassion club and left the medical records of the patients with the club. 

The records were later destroyed, leaving Chubaty with no record of the care of patients received at the club, the college’s report says. 

In July 2015, after the college expressed their concerns to the doctor, Chubaty stopped issuing authorizations of marijuana except for two patients who see him as their family physician.

Original article can be found here

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Former Mountie teaching safe workplace marijuana use

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Ed Secondiak says adjustments in someone’s position might be required

Ed Secondiak wants employers to be informed about medicinal marijuana as well as the implications of recreational legalization so they can respond appropriately in the workplace. (Julie Gordon/Reuters)

Ed Secondiak thinks workplaces need to educate their employees on safety with regards to cannabis in light of increased use and pending legalization.

The former RCMP officer said the goal isn’t to punish people, but to be proactive to avoid unintended consequences of marijuana use, like workplace accidents.

“We’re not concerned about whether it’s illegal or legal. Our concerns more so are the impact on the workplace, in particular with safety,” said Secondiak, who is president of the occupational health company ECS Safety Services.

Medicinal marijuana use is on the rise and the federal government has promised legalization legislation.

Rules similar to alcohol, except … 

In light of that, Secondiak said there can be confusion about who can smoke marijuana before work.

He said the rules around recreational pot use are no different than regulations on alcohol. The substances are different, but intoxication at work remains the same.

However, he noted, people are prescribed pot and may need to use it at work.

‘We’re trying to make sure people go back home with all the parts they came to work with.’
– Ed Secondiak, ECS Safety Services

The level of impairment varies from person to person based on factors such as the amount consumed, the method of consumption and their level of tolerance.

“In many cases you actually have to go through a trial and error to see how it’s affecting that employee,” said Secondiak.

Employers should be open to discussing marijuana at work so they can collaborate with employees to find the best solution for everyone, he said.

Extra care with ‘safety sensitive positions’ 

Secondiak said it’s important that people don’t work in “safety sensitive positions” if they’re using recreationally or medicinally. A safety sensitive position is one where accidents, injuries or fatalities can happen, such as a machinery operator or a medical professional.

“We’re trying to make sure people go back home with all the parts they came to work with.”

Ed Secondiak has given several presentations on drug use in the workplace across Canada and says he’s witnessed a decline in workplace accidents in the aftermath. (Robert Short/CBC)

Employers may need to accommodate medicinal marijuana users who do work in safety sensitive positions by finding them a different role or examining types of leave, he said.

He noted it often comes down to whether or not the individual can do their job and that often depends on how complex the job is.

On Tuesday, Secondiak will give a talk at a Saskatchewan Workers’ Compensation Board event in Saskatoon.

Original article can be found here

Misc Other

How Long Does Weed Stay In Your System?

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By: Sera Jane Ghaly


The amount of time that weed stays in your system depends on the user and how frequently they smoke. There are other factors involved, too, such as how it is being tested. THC binds the longest to the hair follicle and to saliva for the least amount of time. 

THC has a cumulative effect in the body and includes other factors such as the metabolic rate. However, as a general rule of thumb, this is how long cannabis stays in the system.

THC in urine. 

Photo credit: Smoking Pagoda
The most common way to test for THC is in the urine because it is the cheapest method and has a long detection period. However, the length of time will vary depending on the frequency of use because of the cumulative effect of THC. 

  • Someone who has smoked for the first time can test positive for THC for up to 8 days in urine.
  • Someone who smokes frequently can test positive for THC for up to 15 days in urine.
  • Someone who smokes heavily can test positive for THC for up to 30 days in urine.
  • Some heavy marijuana smokers have been tested positive for up to 45-90 days in urine after stopping smoking cannabis.

As a guide, if you´re a heavy smoker, chances are THC will remain in your urine for up to a month after stopping. This is also the most likely way you’ll be tested for weed in your system.

THC in saliva.

THC lasts the shortest time in the saliva. This is the method most often used by road police in checking for drugged drivers. It starts to test positive about 1 hour after smoking and can remain positive in saliva for up to 12 hours.

THC in hair. 


In the case of hair follicles, THC binds for the longest period of time. A single use of cannabis can test positive in the hair for up to 7 days, and most hair follicle tests are for a 90 day period. However, it is not always certain that cannabis actually binds to the hair follicle, so this method is hardly ever used.

THC in blood. 


THC is hardly ever measured from the blood because the metabolite of THC doesn´t bind to the blood for very long. As a result, testing cannabis in the blood only detects recent use. 

How to pass a urine test


Unfortunately, there´s no certain way to pass a urine test if you´re a heavy smoker. There are products that can be purchased solely for the purpose of cleansing urine, but their reliability is questionable. 

The most scientific way to pass a urine test is to drink a lot of cranberry juice or a lot of fluids. Adding more water to the system will naturally dilute whatever is in your urine. 

But the surest way to pass a urine test is to stick safely and generously to the time guidelines! 

How long other chemicals stay in the system

While on the topic, it´s interesting to note how long other chemicals remain in the system after use. 

  • Heroin can be detected in blood and saliva for up to 12 hours, and in urine for up to three days.
  • Amphetamines can be detected in blood and saliva for 12 hours after use and in the urine for 1-2 days after use.
  • A standard drink of alcohol can be detected in the body for only about 5 hours after use (the more that is consumed, the longer the it takes to metabolize, but is the shortest detection time of them all).

Conclusion

So many employers these days are testing their employees for drugs. However, it is easier to get away with having a problem with amphetamines than it is to be a cannabis smoker. Given the technology that is available, shouldn’t there be some leniency towards frequency of use with cannabis? It is legal now, after all. In fact, after legalization, the risk to the workforce if drug testing is not altered is extreme. It could result in a giant loss for the workforce in the USA.

Cannabis stays in the system longer than almost all other chemicals in the body because of it´s cumulative effect. However, everyone knows that you´re not necessarily high 12 hours after use. The best advice to smokers out there afraid of the ever prevalent urine test, stick to jobs that don´t require it!
Original article can be found here

Misc Other

Should Your Insurance Company Pay for Medical Marijuana? Judges Are Starting to Rule That Way

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As marijuana proves safer and more effective than opiates, several court rulings may set a new precedent.
By: April M. Short / AlterNet. 


Recent court rulings in Canada and the U.S. could set a new precedent for insurance companies to pay for doctor-prescribed medical marijuana. In the last few months, in consideration of the addictive potential of opiates and relatively few safety concerns over marijuana, judges in both the U.S. and Canada have ruled in favor of insurance companies covering medical marijuana for pain patients. 

In January, a judge in New Jersey made a historic ruling that workers’ compensation must cover the costs of medical marijuana. After hearing testimony from Andrew Watson, a lumber worker who used marijuana for a work-related injury, New Jersey administrative law judge Ingrid L. French ruled that workers’ comp must cover the costs of Watson’s medical marijuana. As the Philadelphia Inquirer reports in a detailed article on the case, this could set a new precedent for medical marijuana patients.  

In 2014, Watson used cannabis obtained legally through the state’s medical marijuana program to treat intractable neuropathic pain in his left hand. He testified that it was the best treatment available for his injury and that it did not have the negative side effects of opiate painkillers.

Psychiatrist and neurologist Edward H. Tobe also testified about the well-known risks of taking opiates and the benefits cannabis medicine provided Watson. He said marijuana helped Watson reduce his opiate use, and was also likely to help him, “achieve better function.” 

“Opiates can shut down breathing (whereas) marijuana cannabinoids won’t….Marijuana does not affect the mid-brain. The mid-brain is critical in controlling respiration, heart rate, many of the life-preserving elements,” Tobe said, according to an excerpt of his testimony included in the opinion Judge French issued last month. 

French’s opinion states that the evidence from the court proceedings, “show that the petitioner’s ‘trial’ use of medicinal marijuana has been successful. While the court is sensitive to the controversy surrounding the medicinal use of marijuana, whether or not it should be prescribed for a patient in a state where it is legal to prescribe it is a medical decision that is within the boundaries of the laws in the state.” 

Watson’s lawyer, Philip Faccenda, said Watson stopped using cannabis in 2014 because of its cost. Meanwhile, the insurance carrier continued to pay for his use of opiates to treat his pain. Faccenda argued that Watson should be reimbursed for his past medical marijuana purchases, and that the insurance company should continue paying for his medical marijuana. 

French’s decision ultimately ruled in Watson’s favor, stating that the evidence convinced the court it was “reasonable and necessary” for Watson to relieve his pain using marijuana. The judge explained that she found Watson’s pain management approach “mature” and “cautious.” 

“He testified that the effects of the marijuana, in many ways, is not as debilitating as the effects of the Percocet (which is how he refers to his prescriptions for Endocet or Oxycodone)….Ultimately, the petitioner was able to reduce his use of oral narcotic medication.” 

As the Philadelphia Inquirerreports, “John Gearney, a Mount Laurel lawyer who writes a weekly blog on workers’ compensation cases, says the written ruling may be the first in New Jersey to address whether an insurer should pay for marijuana.” 

Gearney reportedly told the Inquirer, “It’s not binding, but it’s really an important decision. There are about 50 workers’ compensation judges in the state, and they will read it and see what the judge thought when a case like it comes before them.” 

A similar case took place in Nova Scotia, Canada in February, when a judge ruled that medical marijuana patient Gordon Skinner’s cannabis must be paid for by his employee insurance plan. 

Skinner suffered chronic pain following an on-the-job vehicle accident. When he was denied coverage of his medical marijuana, he claimed discrimination. A human rights board ultimately determined that his prescribed medical marijuana must be covered by his insurance plan, as Keith Doucette reported for the Canadian Press. Benjamin Perryman, the chairman of the inquiry board, made his descision based on the fact that the marijuana Skinner used was prescribed by a doctor for pain managment. 

“It seems there is prima facie support for its medical necessity, owing to the fact that conventional prescription pain management drugs are normally eligible for coverage,” he said, according to the Canadian Press. The article notes that Deepak Anand, the executive director of the Canadian National Medical Marijuana Association, thinks the ruling is likely to encourage more people to apply for coverage through their provincial human rights commissions. 

Opiate overprescription and a lack of alternative options for pain patients contributes to an epidemic of addiction and overdose in the U.S. and globally, according to the CDC. Numerous pain patients in the 28 states with legal medical marijuana programs report that the federally illegal herb helps reduce their pain while causing few or no negative side effects. 

Original article can be found here

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Cannabidiol potentiates stem cell differentiation into neurons

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A recent article in the Journal of Cellular Biochemistry produced some interesting resultsBy: Ricardo Oliveira

 
Stem cell research has generated countless waves of enthusiasm and controversy throughout the decades. Now and then news emerges of promising new stem cell techniques, only to be followed by negative or mediocre clinical results. Potential applications have included treating heart disease, eye lesions, diabetes, stroke, spinal cord injury, dementia, neurological degeneration and cancer, but to this day only bone marrow transplants have proved feasible. 

The technical problems are manifold, ranging from extraction, culturing and implantation challenges, to safety issues and donor rejection. Perhaps the most prohibitive aspect of all is the deep lack of understanding of how stem cells are actually regulated. 

This problem is well illustrated by the surprising finding that endocannabinoids could very well play a decisive role in cell maturation and differentiation. 

Two recent preclinical studies (2014, 2016) concluded that cannabidiol (CBD) strongly regulates the proliferation, migration and neurogenesis of mesenchymal stem cells (MCSs). These adult stem cells are able to differentiate into the main types of precursor cells and have demonstrated anti-inflammatory, immune, metabolic and self-renewal properties. As of now, there are over 500 ongoing or concluded clinical trials based on MSCs. 

At the turn of the century, researchers found MSCs present in the mouth cavity. Besides being easier to collect, these cells also showed some stronger properties compared to MSCs from other tissues. In light of this knowledge, Dr. Emanuela Mazzon and colleagues became interested in finding out whether oral MCSs were also responsive to CBD. 

MCSs were collected from the gums of five healthy patients and incubated with CBD for 24 hours. Analysis of cell proliferation and viability revealed that an optimal concentration of CBD was set at 5 μM, with higher dosages being increasingly toxic. 

The researchers then analyzed changes in the genetic expression of cells treated with 5 μM CBD, compared to controls. The analysis showed that almost 6000 genes had been modulated by CBD, with a near 50/50 split in terms of being over-activated or inhibited. 

Interestingly, several of the genes with altered expression are known to be involved in neurodevelopmental processes, including the proliferation of cells that precede new neurons, neurogenesis itself, and more coarse regulation of the nervous system. On the other hand, several of the inhibited genes are associated with the formation of other types of cells such as glial cells, bone tissues and blood vessels. 

To test the ability of CBD to promote the differentiation of MSCs into neuronal precursor cells, the authors labeled the latter with a colorful marker and proceeded to quantify them. As can be observed in the figure below, CBD was strongly associated with an increase in neural precursor cells after 2 and 4 days of incubation, compared to the control (DMSO). The relative decrease from the 4th day is explained by the further differentiation of those cells into fully fledged neurons. 

 
In sum, these results suggest a strong regulatory role of CBD in the differentiation of stem cells into neurons. Further in vivo studies are required to assess the therapeutic potential of combining MSCs with CBD in animal models of neuronal diseases. 

The original study by Dr. Mazzon and colleagues can be found in the Journal of Cellular Biochemistry. 

Featured image via Виталий Смолыгин.

Original article can be found here

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‘Budtender’ says marijuana dispensary bosses left him high and dry after raid

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By: Jacquie Miller


A “budtender” who was arrested in a raid on an Ottawa marijuana dispensary says he feels betrayed by his former employer, who has refused to help him with legal bills.

Shawn McAlesse says he believed he was working in a “legal grey zone” and helping people when he accepted a job with a B.C.-based dispensary chain in Ottawa last summer. 

And while McAlesse says he’s glad that charges have been thrown out against 151 Toronto budtenders who were arrested at dispensary raids in that city, he has no indication the same thing will happen in Ottawa. No charges have been withdrawn against the 22 dispensary employees arrested in 12 raids in this city. 

McAlesse was behind the counter when police raided the Green Tree Medical Dispensary on Montreal Road last November. He faces 11 counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking, one count of possessing the proceeds of crime, and one count of simple possession because he had a joint in his pocket.  

Shortly after his arrest, McAlesse says his Ottawa manager delivered the bad news: The bosses in Vancouver would not pay his legal bills and did not want any further contact with him. Green Tree was one of seven related stores, the others operating under the names WeeMedical Dispensary Society and CannaGreen. All of them were raided; four have since re-opened. 

McAlesse said he was given the impression by managers that he didn’t need to worry about being arrested, but that if it happened the company “would have a lawyer standing by us.” 

He said managers stressed how the dispensaries were helping medical marijuana patients, an ideal that McAlesse embraced, because he has benefited himself.  

“They took advantage of the fact a lot of us (budtenders) are for medical marijuana. They (said they) shared those ideals, then they threw us to the wolves when we got arrested. 

“It angers me. I feel they manipulated me, they abused me, 100 per cent. There aren’t enough metaphors in the world to explain how I feel about those guys.” 

The nine employees arrested at the Green Tree-related stores face serious criminal charges, while the owners “rack up the cash,” McAlesse said. 

He worked at both a WeeMedical and a Green Tree store. He estimates each store took in $8,000 to $12,000 a day from sales of dried pot, candy, pop, cookies and oils, and they are open seven days a week.

“I’m sure they can afford lawyer fees.” 

 
His boss was Justin Liu, said McAlesse. Liu is one of the directors of the WeeMedical Dispensary Society, according to registration papers filed in British Columbia. The Citizen has been unable to interview Liu or anyone from Green Tree, WeeMedical or CannaGreen despite repeated efforts since the dispensaries first arrived in town last summer. 

Requests sent to the email addresses on the Green Tree and WeeMedical websites have not been returned. The Citizen reached Liu once, using a phone number that was briefly listed on the CannaGreen website, but he quickly ended the conversation, saying he was about to hop on a plane and would call back, which he did not. The voice mailbox for that number is now full. 

At the WeeMedical headquarters in Vancouver, in three calls over the past week, the people answering the phone said they would try to find a company spokesperson, but no one phoned back. They refused to provide contact information for Liu. 

McAlesse said that because the stores operated openly he didn’t think he was doing anything illegal. “A storefront operation, with multiple locations across the city, seems so above-board – even though it’s a grey area.” 

McAlesse is proud of his work at the dispensaries, saying they provide a valuable service. He says he helped many people, including giving advice on how to sign up to buy medical marijuana legally.  

Medical marijuana is legal if bought from a Health Canada-licensed grower. But some people can’t find a doctor to prescribe marijuana or can’t afford the fees charged by clinics who employ cannabis-friendly doctors, he said. Others want edible products such as cookies and brownies that legal suppliers aren’t allowed to sell. 

McAlesse said his managers told him to ask customers to fill out a form listing their medical conditions, and advise them that a “company doctor” would contact them later. He said he had no concerns about the safety or quality of the cannabis products, because it was better than what can be brought on the street. Health Canada has warned that products at dispensaries are unregulated and may be unsafe. 

McAlesse said the owner of a vapour lounge in Saskatoon, a fellow cannabis community activist, has agreed to help with his legal fees, which he said are about $5,000 just for the lawyer retainer. He has also set up a crowd-funding page. 

As he waits for his next court date on April 5, McAlesse said he rarely leaves home. “I’m quite an anxiety-ridden mess.” He held previous jobs at a plumbing store and a Tim Hortons, but it will be hard to find work now. “It’s a little hard to find a job when you’re a suggested drug dealer.” 

Original article can be found here

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People Will Die From Cannabis Dispensary Raids

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By: Dana Larsen 


Canada’s ongoing war on cannabis causes harm and death in many ways. There’s the people sometimes injured and killed in cannabis raids, there’s the people who suffer or die because they don’t have access to cannabis medicines, there’s the murderers and violent criminals all across the country who won’t ever face trial because our courts are clogged with pot cases, and there’s the increased opioid overdose deaths that come when dispensaries are not available. 

This last point is especially relevant right now, as Canada is in the middle of a fentanyl crisis, with many deaths every day across the country. One effective way to fight this crisis is to increase access to cannabis! 

Two major studies in the US have found that the states which have cannabis dispensaries have much lower rates of opioid use and deaths. 

A major study in 2015 found that states with legal cannabis dispensaries had up to 31% lower rate of deaths from prescription opioid overdoses. Researchers noted that the longer the legal cannabis dispensaries were in place, the more the rate of opioid-related problems declined. 

This makes sense, because cannabis is often used as a pain reliever, just like opioids are. When people have easy access to a safer pain-reliever, cannabis, they are less likely to use the more risky one, opioids. 

This confirmed a 2014 study which found that states with medical cannabis dispensaries had a 25% lower rate of opioid overdose deaths. 

It’s important to note that the 2015 study confirmed that it was specifically dispensaries that reduced overdose deaths, and not just any form of medical cannabis access. “We find no impact of medical marijuana laws more broadly,” concluded the 2015 study. “The mitigating effect of medical marijuana laws is specific to states that permit dispensaries.” 

A third study, published last year, found that in American states with medical cannabis access, “the use of prescription drugs for which marijuana could serve as a clinical alternative fell significantly.” This means that when cannabis is available, fewer doctors prescribe opiates, and fewer patients use them. 

The evidence from these three major American studies is clear. Cannabis dispensaries reduce opioid use, and can prevent up to a third of opioid overdoses in their communities. In the midst of a nationwide fentanyl crisis, cannabis dispensaries are saving lives every single day. 

If we’re going to have “evidence based” laws and policies in Canada, then we should recognize that Canada needs much more cannabis access, and we need it now. If Trudeau’s Liberals are serious about the opioid crisis and saving lives, they should announce an immediate moratorium on dispensary raids. 

Canadians can’t wait as more years pass and the death toll continues to climb. We need action from Justin Trudeau and the Liberal Party. The war on dispensaries must end today. 

Original article can be found here

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‘High time’ for police to prepare for pot legalization

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There’s demand across Canada to get officers trained to recognize drug impairment
By: Darren MacDonald

With laws allowing the legalization of marijuana in Canada expected sometime this year, Greater Sudbury Police are trying to prepare for the impact on law enforcement. File photo. 

With laws allowing the legalization of marijuana in Canada expected sometime this year, Greater Sudbury Police are trying to prepare for the impact on law enforcement. 

Police Chief Paul Pedersen said Wednesday that currently, there are no drug recognition training courses available in Canada. That’s a problem considering officers will be tasked with detecting drugged drivers. 

“The Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police and the chief of police of Sudbury all agree that one of the things we’re going to need more of in this country as marijuana becomes legalized is what’s called drug recognition experts,” Pedersen said.  

“They are officers who are specifically trained to find drivers who are impaired by drugs. Right now, Sudbury has a very limited number of those officers. And right now in Canada, there isn’t a drug recognition training program. We have to send our officers to the States to learn how to become drug recognition experts.” 

That training, as well as manuals and policies governing the detection of drug impaired drivers, will be important tools police will need soon, he said. 

“We know, from coast to coast, we’re going to need that in Canada in time before the legislation comes into effect,” he said. 

While there was speculation that legalization would happen early in 2017, the federal government now says that legislation will be introduced this year, but won’t come into effect right away. 

“The new legislation would come into force after being passed by Parliament and once regulations have been developed,” says a post on the federal justice ministry’s web page.  

“These regulations would set out the details of a new system for access to cannabis. For example, they would define who could produce and distribute marijuana, standards for labeling and packaging, and important safeguards to restrict access to keep it out of the hands of children.” 

For his part, Pedersen neither he or other police chiefs have been told when legalization will actually take place. 

“I haven’t received any formal update that gives me any more insight than the general public has from the newspapers.”

Original article can be found here

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End The Unfounded Paranoia Around Minors Scoring Marijuana

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By: Dana Larsen Director, Sensible BC Campaign For Marijuana Reform, Vancouver’s Medicinal Cannabis Dispensary. 

I bet most people reading this are aware of the controversy around kids buying pot at 4/20 — events related to the annual day of advocacy for the legalization of marijuana — but don’t think twice about the minors buying booze every single day in liquor stores, nightclubs, restaurants and pubs all across the country. 

Yes, it’s true that some minors do manage to score some bud at 4/20 celebrations, rallies and other gatherings. Despite our best efforts, a determined minor can usually acquire cannabis or alcohol if they set their mind to it.

A man smokes marijuana in a pipe as thousands of people gathered at 4/20 celebrations on April 20, 2016 at Sunset Beach in Vancouver, B.C. (Photo: Jeff Vinnick/Getty Images) 

But the way the media and government treats the idea of minors and cannabis or minors and alcohol is very different. When a dispensary is alleged to have sold some cannabis to a minor, they face a police raid and harsh commentary in the media. But the daily sales to minors from liquor outlets is not treated like a big deal at all. 

There’s political hand-wringing and big headlines about how terrible 4/20 is because some minors attend, while all-ages pubs and beer gardens are now the norm in our province. 

The hypocrisy here runs deep, because while the government is beating us up over teens buying cannabis at 4/20, their own liquor stores are pouring drinks for minors on a regular basis. 

Many parents are well aware that their 16- or 17-year-old kids use cannabis, and allow it because they consider cannabis to be relatively harmless. 

In 2012, it was found that about 30 per cent of all retail liquor outlets would sell booze to a minor. The B.C. Liberal government’s response to this problem was simply to have less inspections! 

With less inspections comes less compliance, so that by 2015, 40 per cent of outlets tested failed to stop sales to minors. But because there were less inspections happening, the total value of fines given out dropped from over $800,000 in 2012 to just $262,500 in 2015. 

To get your “serving it right” license is ridiculously easy. It’s literally an online multiple choice quiz with no time limit that you can do from home. No wonder licensed restaurants, pubs, bars and nightclubs all had a failure rate of 45 per cent or more when it comes to stopping minors buying alcohol. 

Compared to this utter failure of government-licensed and regulated liquor outlets to keep booze out of the hands of minors, I’d say marijuana advocates like us do a very good job in self-policing 4/20, despite a lack of cooperation from the Park Board.

(Photo: Jeff Vinnick/Getty Images) 

We work with all our vendors to ensure they ask for ID and prohibit sales to minors. I expect that minors who get cannabis at 4/20 probably get an older friend or even their parents to buy it for them. Many parents are well aware that their 16- or 17-year-old kids use cannabis, and allow it because they consider cannabis to be relatively harmless, especially in comparison to alcohol and tobacco. 

Also, let’s not forget some minors can be medical cannabis users who smoke or eat cannabis to treat ailments ranging from epilepsy to cancer to attention deficit disorder. These young patients enjoy celebrating 4/20 because they directly experience the healing benefits of the cannabis plant. 

In 2002, Canada’s Senate put out a massive and comprehensive report on cannabis use in Canada. They recommended full legalization for all Canadians over the age of 16. “Scientific evidence overwhelmingly indicates that cannabis is substantially less harmful than alcohol,” said the report, and the Senators were right. It’s time for the paranoia and exaggerations around teenagers and cannabis to come to an end. 

Original article can be found here

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Employers want Ottawa’s help to deal with marijuana-smoking workers

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Lack of hard science on marijuana impairment and testing raises concerns among employers over safety
By: Dean Beeby

 Some employer groups are asking Ottawa not to legalize recreational marijuana until workplace safety issues are resolved. (CBC) 

More stoned workers will be showing up in Canada’s workplaces with the coming legalization of marijuana, but companies have few tools to cope with potential safety risks.

That’s the message from some employers, who say they’ve received no assurances from Ottawa so far that the new pot regime will include workplace safeguards.

“We’re caught in a potential Catch 22: how do you protect the worker and those around them as well as deal with legalized marijuana?” said Cameron MacGillivray, president of Enform, a Calgary-based oil-and-gas safety group.

“It is a pressing concern for the industry because of the … potential catastrophic impacts of somebody doing a critical safety job when they’re impaired.”

The Liberal government is expected to introduce legislation by the summer making recreational marijuana legal, at a time when the science of detecting and measuring impairment is incomplete.

 Cameron MacGillivray, president of the oil-and-gas safety group Enform, wants the federal government to convene an expert panel to review the science around measuring and testing for marijuana impairment in the workplace. (Enform)

Marijuana is not a new arrival in the workplace, and over the last decade, the legalization of medical marijuana has already made cannabis a more frequent job-related concern.

Full legalization, however, is expected to boost the number of employee users. That’s based on spikes in the number of users in Colorado and Washington after recreational pot was made legal there.

“The landscape has changed,” said George Waggott, a labour lawyer with McMillan LLP in Toronto, who represents employers.

“The stigma of using marijuana, such as it might have been, is going to be nearly eliminated.”

A federal task force report on legalizing and regulating cannabis, released Dec. 13, highlighted “workplace safety” as an issue, especially in the fields of health care, law enforcement, transportation, construction and resource extraction, such as mining.

Under review 

“Employer groups called for more guidance from federal, provincial and territorial governments about appropriate workplace drug use and drug testing policies,” it noted.

But there were no concrete recommendations, other than to encourage more scientific research on impairment and as well as further consultations with the provinces on the “development of workplace impairment policies.”

Employment Minister Patty Hajdu said the government is working closely with the provinces and territories to “come up with a framework that will address substance abuse at work.” But she said those consultations are broadly based.

“I think legalization of marijuana is renewing our conversation about substance abuse at work, and I am very, very seized of the issue. But I think there’s more to do than just look at marijuana,” Hajdu said in an interview with CBC News.

 Officials in Employment, Workforce Development and Labour — now headed by Minister Patricia Hajdu — have argued against new regulations for marijuana in the workplace, according to a document obtained by CBC News. (Justin Tang/Canadian Press)

Enform wants the federal government to declare a prohibition against the use of marijuana in safety-sensitive workplaces and for a pre-determined period before workers show up on the job.

It also wants an expert panel to examine and report on how to reliably measure marijuana impairment in workers before full legalization occurs.

An internal document, however, suggests federal officials are not inclined to take any special measures with regard to marijuana in the workplace, preferring to leave the ball in the employers’ court.

A July briefing note for then-employment minister MaryAnn Mihychuk, says “it would be premature to make new rules or introduce legislative or regulatory amendments, which may place the labour program and our stakeholders at odds with emerging jurisprudence, until the issues are settled.”

“The upcoming legalization of recreational marijuana may require employers to update their alcohol and drug policies to include marijuana use and provide parameters around it as it relates to the type of work being done,” the note says.

The document, obtained by CBC News under the Access to Information Act, also acknowledges that testing devices and protocols are still under development.

Special cases 

Currently, random alcohol and drug-testing is permitted in Canadian workplaces only in special cases, where there are demonstrable safety risks. However, employers can prohibit drug and alcohol use in the workplace, with some exceptions for medical marijuana patients.

 Labour lawyer George Waggott says identifying impairment from marijuana use is the biggest challenge for employers. (McMillan LLP)

Some labour lawyers say they expect no significant changes to those rules, even with the arrival of legalized recreational marijuana.

Rather, the real challenge will be accurately measuring work-related impairment from marijuana, because the science is murky compared with a much clearer understanding of the effects of alcohol, the most commonly abused substance in the workplace.

“The impairment question is the bedrock of where this will be fought,” says Waggott.

Another employer group representing federally regulated companies is also pressing Ottawa not to legalize marijuana until the measurement issues have been sorted out.

Derrick Hynes, executive director of FETCO, an employers’ association comprised of federally regulated transportation and communications firms — including the CBC — addressed his concerns to the marijuana task force in a submission Sept. 5.

In it he said the government should delay legalization until experts agree on an established definition of marijuana impairment and “the technology exists to test for impairment to this standard in a proven and reliable manner.”

‘It’s what makes marijuana different. There is no “road side test” to determine impairment.’
– Derrick Hynes, executive director of FETCO

“It’s what makes marijuana different,” Hynes said in an interview. “There currently is no ‘roadside test’ to determine impairment. And further, there is no legislated standard for what level constitutes impairment in an individual.”

Toronto employment lawyer Peter Straszynski agrees that the quality of testing methods for marijuana is a problem. But he says the current legal and regulatory regime around drug-and-alcohol prohibition in the workplace and around random-testing may be adequate.

“We do have some framework in place,” he said in an interview. “It’s not obvious they will have to change it.”

But Hynes argues the legalization of recreational marijuana is exactly the right moment for Canada to consider a comprehensive system for random testing in the workplace.

“This is a logical time to have that conversation.”

Original article can be found here 

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Neurologists to draw up guidelines for safe use of medicinal cannabis

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Expert group to look at use of a cannabadiol product to treat patients with epilepsy
By: Paul Cullen

 Irish neurologists are to draw up guidelines on the safe use of medicinal cannabis for patients with epilepsy. 
Irish neurologists are to draw up guidelines on the safe use of medicinal cannabis for patients with epilepsy.

An expert group made up of consultant neurologists is to begin drawing up the guidelines shortly in order to provide clarity for doctors and patients on the issue, according to the Royal College of Physicians in Ireland.

While certain cannabis-containing products “show promise” in the treatment of severe epilepsy, others are “inadequately tested or known to be potentially harmful,” according to Dr Colin Doherty, spokesman for the clinical advisory group on epilepsy. 

“As a group, we are committed to the care of all patients with epilepsy but it is our solemn duty to ensure that all treatments are proven to be both beneficial and safe. This is particularly important when a new drug is used in a child’s developing brain” he said.

Neurologists were mindful of the impact of the diagnosis of serious conditions they encounter and recognised the “devastating effects” of severe epilepsy on children and adults and the “desperation felt by families to help their loved ones”. 

Dr Doherty said evidence was emerging for the use of a cannabadiol (CBD) product known as Epidiolex, which is on fast-track designation for the treatment of severe epilepsy in the US. It is expected Epidiolex will be available in Ireland through a Government-sponsored access programme later this year.

“No other cannabis derivatives or products have been adequately studied to a level that they are proven to be effective and safe to use in clinical practice.” 

“Specifically, products containing THC (a cannabis derivative with potentially harmful psychoactive effects) remain inadequately tested,” Dr Doherty said.

Currently, the main barrier to the prescribing of cannabis derivatives for epilepsy is the lack of clinical evidence of its long-term efficacy, as well as a lack of data on long-term side effects, he said. 

“Apart from Epidiolex no other cannabis product has been endorsed by any scientific or licensing authority.” 

Original article can be found here

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Police order pot shops close

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By: Colin Dacre 

 

The message is clear. Cease operations or face arrest. 

After months of sitting on the sidelines while the City of Penticton struggled to license marijuana dispensaries within city limits, the local RCMP detachment has stepped in and ordered three operating pot shops shut down. 

The move comes a little more than three months after the city granted two of those shops, Green Essence and Okanagan Cannabinoid Therapy, temporary use permits. 

A third shop, Herbal Green Apothecary, which has remained open against the the city’s wishes was also ordered closed. 

In a trio of letters sent to the shops this week, acting officer in charge of the Penticton RCMP Staff Sgt. Kirsten Marshall provided a “warning in regards to the possible ramifications of certain business practices that do not comply with the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.” 

Castanet News was shown the letter sent to Herbal Green Apothecary by the shop’s owner, Jukka Laurio, who says he will be complying with the order. 

“If this is being done to all of us, then it’s the end of the game,” adding that fighting with the city over it’s bylaws and with the RCMP are two very different things. “I’m not going to argue with the federal government. 

“I don’t think the people in the city are going to be too pleased with the whole thing, all it really does is drive the market out into the street,” Laurio said. “They can either have it here in a controlled location or have a couple hundred people selling it out of their homes.”

Okanagan Cannabinoid Therapy declined to comment and the manager of Green Essence could not be reached. 

It’s not clear what caused the change of heart for the Penticton RCMP, which has been hands-off while the city spent a considerable amount of time and effort licensing two of the shops after multiple sprung up in the city, unchallenged by police. 

In a statement, Staff Sgt. Kirsten Marshall confirmed all three dispensaries in Penticton received the letters. 

“The RCMP is responsible for enforcing Canadian laws, as they stand today. Our communities expect that we will take enforcement action to meet this responsibility, and do so in an impartial and professional manner.”  

When questioned about the sudden change of enforcement, Marshall stated that the RCMP has “nothing to do with the City licensing or permits, that is a separate process.” 

“Nothing has changed, trafficking in marijuana remains illegal at this time. If we have concerns expressed by the public in regards to criminal action we have the ability to investigate and, if appropriate, take enforcement action,” Marshall continued in an email. 

Penticton Mayor Andrew Jakubeit was caught completely off-guard by the news. 

“Marijuana dispensaries have been in the spotlight not only in Penticton but elsewhere, and to date the RCMP have not provided enforcement,” Jakubeit said in an email. “The City created and allowed two (six month) Temporary Use Permits to enable access to medical marijuana and to weed out the growing proliferation of dispensaries in the City. 

“The enforcement of the law is the jurisdiction of the RCMP and we will have to see what course of action they take next,” he added. 

Original article can be found here

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Health Canada issues recall for mislabelled THC level

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Health Canada announced today that on March 8, 2017, Aphria, a licensed producer of cannabis for medical purposes located in Ontario, began a voluntary recall of one lot…By: David Brown 

 

Health Canada announced today that on March 8, 2017, Aphria, a licensed producer of cannabis for medical purposes located in Ontario, began a voluntary recall of one lot of dried marijuana under a Type III recall. One lot (652-4883) of cannabis was mislabelled as containing 22.3% THC instead of 21.1% THC. 

A Type III recall refers to “a situation in which the use of, or exposure to a product, is not likely to cause any adverse health consequences.” 

Health Canada says they have not received any adverse reaction reports for products sold by Aphria. Health Canada recommends that any individual affected by the recall immediately stop using the recalled product and to contact Aphria at the following number: 1-844-427-4742.

Official link here.
Health Canada lists their three recall types as such 

Type I: a situation in which there is a reasonable probability that the use of, or exposure to, a product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death, 

Type II: a situation in which the use of, or exposure to, a product may cause temporary adverse health consequences or where the probability of serious adverse health consequences is remote, or

Type III: a situation in which the use of, or exposure to, a product is not likely to cause any adverse health consequences.

Type III recalls do not generally warrant a public recall, but a Type I or II recall does. In the past, Health Canada has issued public recalls for other medical cannabis, but has not detailed if it was a Type I, II or III. 

Earlier this year, Health Canada Media Relations Officer André Gagnon said the agency has already begun to list all cannabis-related recalls, regardless of concern for public health.they would be announcing cannabis recalls of all kinds, regardless of risk to public health. 

“As a part of its commitment to openness and transparency, and in an effort to ensure Canadians are well informed of recalls under the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations, Health Canada has begun posting all cannabis for medical purposes recalls, regardless of public health risks, to the department’s online recall database. In addition, we will continue to publish annual and quarterly compliance and enforcement reports with information about medical cannabis recalls and other compliance and enforcement actions undertaken by the Department.” 

Original article can be found here

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Marijuana-filled cooler worth $24G donated to Goodwill

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Cooler full of marijuana donated to a Goodwill in Monroe, Washington. (Monroe (Washington) Police Department via Twitter)
Somebody donated a lot more than they intended to the Goodwill in Monroe, Washington last week. 

Goodwill employees got a surprise when they opened a donated cooler and found marijuana. 

Make that lots of marijuana. 

Monroe police were called in to investigate. 

“(The) employees were surprised when they opened the lid,” the police said in a tweet. 

The Monroe Police Department said the cooler contained 3.75 pounds of pot, with an estimated street value of $24,000. 

Police said Goodwill was examining its surveillance video to see if it can find an image of the person who may have dropped off the cooler.

Original article can be found here

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Edmonton to close zoning loopholes for cannabis lounges and pot shop

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By: Elise Stolte 

Photo taken by Dab Canada
Edmonton moved to close loopholes in the zoning bylaw Tuesday to ensure marijuana sales can’t happen in corner stores and residential neighbourhoods.
The zoning changes will also specifically ban toking in pubs, a move city planners called “preventative maintenance” to prepare Edmonton for the coming legalization of recreational marijuana use. 

“So operations aren’t able to legitimize blended uses,” said senior planner Colton Kirsop at council’s executive committee. He recommended other zoning changes and smoking bans be delayed until the federal rules are clear so council debate doesn’t “get lost in the weeds.” 

Ottawa is expected in June to introduce legislation regarding recreational marijuana, with legalization to follow in 2019. Based on task force recommendations, it appears it will also legalize cannabis lounges, but ban drinking and smoking there, say city staff. 

The federal government would also regulate the personal production of marijuana, likely to four plants per site, said staff. In addition, it has moved from the term and spelling of “marihuana” to “cannabis.” Edmonton is now using the term “cannabis” for its bylaw.

Les Hagen with Action on Smoking and Health argued at committee any stiff zoning regulations also be applied to tobacco sales, since they are causing more health problems. His concern is increased marijuana use will “re-normalize” smoking. 

Councillors debated whether enforcement costs could be recovered through high business licensing fees. But that’s still unclear. 

“We don’t want to be stuck with ridiculous costs on this,” Coun. Michael Oshry said before committee approved the report, sending the basic zoning changes to a public hearing. 

Zoning changes 

The proposed zoning changes would specifically prohibit the sale and consumption of cannabis in bars, neighbourhood pubs, nightclubs and private clubs. It would prohibit the sale of cannabis from convenience stores and general retail stores, and prohibit the sale, production or shipping of cannabis as a home-based business. 

The changes would also prohibit an area zoned for a greenhouse, garden centre or nursery from being used to grow cannabis. That would only be permitted, if licensed by Health Canada, in areas zoned for urban indoor or outdoor farm, rural or non-commercial farm or urban garden. 

The Health Canada licence prohibits production beside a school, playground or other place frequented by children. 

Edmonton’s zoning regulations would allow a Health Canada licensed production and distribution facility in any areas zoned for general industrial use. 

City officials said any further zoning changes should wait until the federal rules around recreational use become more clear. The federal task force has suggested anyone growing cannabis for personal use should be limited to four plants, which city officials say shouldn’t need further municipal regulations 

What are other cities doing? 

Calgary: A medical marijuana counselling centre where counselling is done by people who are not medical professionals must be located 150 metres from a school and 300 metres from any other centres. 

Toronto: Marijuana production facilities must be 70 metres from a home, institution, school, place of worship or daycare. 

Vancouver: Compassion clubs and medical marijuana retail stores must be 300 metres from a school, community centre or residence and 300 metres from another marijuana facility. Facilities are also banned from areas with vulnerable populations such as the Downtown Eastside. 

Victoria: Any medical marijuana-related business, including bakeries or shops, must be 200 metres from a school and 200 metres from another related business. Hours of operation are limited to 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. and there are limits on advertising, a prohibition on using the drug on site, and other security precautions. 

Original article can be found here