Marijuana Legalization Talks in the News
Marijuana legalization was in the news this past week with two events in Ottawa moving things along. Thursday, February 15, Senate leaders agreed on a timeline to get federal marijuana legislation passed by the summer. On the same day also in Ottawa, the Senate legal affairs committee was hearing concerns from various criminal justice groups who will be impacted by legalization. Legal affairs committee The president of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police told the committee that he anticipated a surge in impaired driving litigation. Impaired driving cases currently account for 10% of the cases before Canadian courts. Stats Canada states that “drug-impaired driving cases currently take about twice as long on average to litigate in court than alcohol-impairment cases do, and are less likely to receive a guilty verdict.” Theoretically this could change once there is cannabis specific legislation. However, the Canadian Bar Association said changes in this well-established area of the Criminal Code would bring a large amount of uncertainty and therefore more room for defense litigation. The THC testing is still being refined which offers even more defense help. Yet another part of the bill almost invites a constitutional challenge as it makes breath testing for drivers mandatory. Currently police must have reasonable suspicion. Overall the largest concern seems to be the burden on the courts. Marijuana legalization timeline decided upon Despite concern that the Conservatives would try and push back the vote, all groups in the Senate agreed to a June 7, 2018 vote. This planned timeline is believed to give stakeholders, governments, businesses, and law enforcement agencies a better idea of how and when the bill will be addressed. The bill, Bill C-45, is currently in its second reading debate which should be finished end of March. Following this, five Senate committees will study Bill C-45 and deliver a report to the Senate preceding the final debate. Parliament is in session until late June so hopefully any back and forth can be resolved between the time of the vote and end of session. If the bill passes, marijuana would become legal two to three months later. References: Challenges to drug-impaired driving charges likely to clog up Canada’s courts, police warn Cannabis could be legal this summer after all after Senate agrees on timeline to pass bill The post Marijuana Legalization Talks in the News appeared first on Canada Drug...
Marijuana Legalization Talks in the News
Marijuana legalization was in the news this past week with two events in Ottawa moving things along. Thursday, February 15, Senate leaders agreed on a timeline to get federal marijuana legislation passed by the summer. On the same day also in Ottawa, the Senate legal affairs committee was hearing concerns from various criminal justice groups who will be impacted by legalization. Legal affairs committee The president of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police told the committee that he anticipated a surge in impaired driving litigation. Impaired driving cases currently account for 10% of the cases before Canadian courts. Stats Canada states that “drug-impaired driving cases currently take about twice as long on average to litigate in court than alcohol-impairment cases do, and are less likely to receive a guilty verdict.” Theoretically this could change once there is cannabis specific legislation. However, the Canadian Bar Association said changes in this well-established area of the Criminal Code would bring a large amount of uncertainty and therefore more room for defense litigation. The THC testing is still being refined which offers even more defense help. Yet another part of the bill almost invites a constitutional challenge as it makes breath testing for drivers mandatory. Currently police must have reasonable suspicion. Overall the largest concern seems to be the burden on the courts. Marijuana legalization timeline decided upon Despite concern that the Conservatives would try and push back the vote, all groups in the Senate agreed to a June 7, 2018 vote. This planned timeline is believed to give stakeholders, governments, businesses, and law enforcement agencies a better idea of how and when the bill will be addressed. The bill, Bill C-45, is currently in its second reading debate which should be finished end of March. Following this, five Senate committees will study Bill C-45 and deliver a report to the Senate preceding the final debate. Parliament is in session until late June so hopefully any back and forth can be resolved between the time of the vote and end of session. If the bill passes, marijuana would become legal two to three months later. References: Challenges to drug-impaired driving charges likely to clog up Canada’s courts, police warn Cannabis could be legal this summer after all after Senate agrees on timeline to pass bill The post Marijuana Legalization Talks in the News appeared first on Canada Drug...
Current Alberta Government Drug and Alcohol Treatment Strategies
Alberta is addressing mental health and addiction issues by improving drug and alcohol treatment facilities in Red Deer, Lethbridge, and Medicine Hat. The NDP government has increased overall funding and upgraded social detoxes to medically supervised clinics. The government is being guided by a province wide mental health and addiction review released at the beginning of 2016. Opioid Crisis Response Alberta has focused on five main objectives to address the opioid crisis the province is facing. A dedicated opioid emergency response commission is one of these objectives and it will oversee the achievement of the other four. Funding for community organizations to continue to educate Albertans will come through public awareness grants. Increased reporting and monitoring of events like overdose deaths, prescribing patterns, and the levels of use and misuse of opioid will give the commission baselines to work from and later refer to. Harm reduction in the form of safe consumption services, also known as safe injection sites, will greatly help decrease overdose deaths. Community Based Medical Treatment Safe Harbour Society in Red Deer, Alberta opened 20 new medically supported detox beds in November of 2017. The Alberta government allocated $1.6 million dollars to the society to support the existing clinic. It is a 20 bed clinic with five beds being extended stay to allow for overlap between detox and getting into residential treatment. Safe Harbour’s success is paving the way for new treatment facilities in Alberta. New opioid clinics and other treatment programs are planned for Calgary, Cardston, Edmonton, Fort McMurray, Grande Prairie, and Sherwood Park. Review Committee Recommendations Valuing Mental Health: Report of the Alberta Mental Health Review Committee was released at the beginning of 2016. It outlined 32 recommendations following a review of the province’s mental health and addiction system. Since then, the Alberta NDP has said they took action on 6 priority recommendations. The Safe Harbour clinic in Red Deer was one of these recommendations. Lethbridge and Medicine Hat are also receiving funding for drug and alcohol treatment facility upgrades. The mental health and substance use budget for 2017 was $80 million, a 64% increase over 2016. “Of this, $15 million of new funding is dedicated specifically to address the recommendations in the Valuing Mental Health Review report.” References: How Alberta hopes to help improve mental health and addictions services Valuing mental health: Next steps Valuing Mental Health: Report of the Alberta Mental Health Review Committee 2015 Alberta’s Opioid Crisis Response Provincial support improves opioid treatment The post Current Alberta Government Drug and Alcohol Treatment Strategies appeared first on Canada Drug...
Current Alberta Government Drug and Alcohol Treatment Strategies
Alberta is addressing mental health and addiction issues by improving drug and alcohol treatment facilities in Red Deer, Lethbridge, and Medicine Hat. The NDP government has increased overall funding and upgraded social detoxes to medically supervised clinics. The government is being guided by a province wide mental health and addiction review released at the beginning of 2016. Opioid Crisis Response Alberta has focused on five main objectives to address the opioid crisis the province is facing. A dedicated opioid emergency response commission is one of these objectives and it will oversee the achievement of the other four. Funding for community organizations to continue to educate Albertans will come through public awareness grants. Increased reporting and monitoring of events like overdose deaths, prescribing patterns, and the levels of use and misuse of opioid will give the commission baselines to work from and later refer to. Harm reduction in the form of safe consumption services, also known as safe injection sites, will greatly help decrease overdose deaths. Community Based Medical Treatment Safe Harbour Society in Red Deer, Alberta opened 20 new medically supported detox beds in November of 2017. The Alberta government allocated $1.6 million dollars to the society to support the existing clinic. It is a 20 bed clinic with five beds being extended stay to allow for overlap between detox and getting into residential treatment. Safe Harbour’s success is paving the way for new treatment facilities in Alberta. New opioid clinics and other treatment programs are planned for Calgary, Cardston, Edmonton, Fort McMurray, Grande Prairie, and Sherwood Park. Review Committee Recommendations Valuing Mental Health: Report of the Alberta Mental Health Review Committee was released at the beginning of 2016. It outlined 32 recommendations following a review of the province’s mental health and addiction system. Since then, the Alberta NDP has said they took action on 6 priority recommendations. The Safe Harbour clinic in Red Deer was one of these recommendations. Lethbridge and Medicine Hat are also receiving funding for drug and alcohol treatment facility upgrades. The mental health and substance use budget for 2017 was $80 million, a 64% increase over 2016. “Of this, $15 million of new funding is dedicated specifically to address the recommendations in the Valuing Mental Health Review report.” References: How Alberta hopes to help improve mental health and addictions services Valuing mental health: Next steps Valuing Mental Health: Report of the Alberta Mental Health Review Committee 2015 Alberta’s Opioid Crisis Response Provincial support improves opioid treatment The post Current Alberta Government Drug and Alcohol Treatment Strategies appeared first on Canada Drug...
Drug Fact Sheet: Alcohol
History Alcoholic beverages have existed almost as long as human civilization. Ancient Egypt, China, Greece and India all have alcoholic drinks dating back thousands of years. Just like today, they used fermented grain, fruit juice, or honey to make ethyl alcohol/ethanol. Over the centuries alcoholic beverages have ranged from being very mild to very strong. In the 18th century the British government encouraged the production of spirits and unwittingly created a widespread alcoholism problem. By the 19th century drunkenness had become unseemly and there was a lot of public illwill towards alcohol. Prohibition was instituted in many countries in the early 20th century and was largely ineffective. Now, each country in the world has its own laws and regulations around alcohol consumption. Some have low age requirements like Germany where the legal drinking age is 16. Others are completely dry countries due to religious observance like Saudi Arabia. Effects Mild consumption of alcohol is not necessarily bad, however it is not without its effects on the body. Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant. This is noticeable when people under the influence of alcohol are slow to react, have slurred speech, or have troubles walking in a straight line. Short term negative impacts are dehydration, impaired judgement, and even blacking out. Overconsumption of alcohol can lead to many serious health problems. Alcohol is processed in the liver, and overconsumption means placing the liver under stress. Long term alcohol use can lead to cirrhosis of the liver and eventual liver failure. Alcohol also damages many other areas of the body including the pancreas and digestive system. Treatment Alcohol is the most commonly abused drug in the USA and Canada. It is hardly surprisingly considering almost every adult social (and often work) gathering will be held at a place that serves alcohol. In the USA up to 40% of patients in large urban hospitals are there with illnesses that have been caused or exacerbated by drinking alcohol. However, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism in the USA states that “alcohol problems can yield to scientifically-based medical and psychosocial intervention in the same way as other health conditions are responsive to prevention and treatment”. There are many approaches to treatment, and it often comes down to what the individual responds to best. If you or a loved one is struggling with alcohol, please use our directory to find the nearest resources. References: Alcoholism: Natural History and Background The Effects of Alcohol on Your Body Short and Long Term Mental Effects of Alcohol Alcohol: A Short History Your Checklist When Looking for Addiction Treatment The post Drug Fact Sheet: Alcohol appeared first on Canada Drug...
Drug Fact Sheet: Alcohol
History Alcoholic beverages have existed almost as long as human civilization. Ancient Egypt, China, Greece and India all have alcoholic drinks dating back thousands of years. Just like today, they used fermented grain, fruit juice, or honey to make ethyl alcohol/ethanol. Over the centuries alcoholic beverages have ranged from being very mild to very strong. In the 18th century the British government encouraged the production of spirits and unwittingly created a widespread alcoholism problem. By the 19th century drunkenness had become unseemly and there was a lot of public illwill towards alcohol. Prohibition was instituted in many countries in the early 20th century and was largely ineffective. Now, each country in the world has its own laws and regulations around alcohol consumption. Some have low age requirements like Germany where the legal drinking age is 16. Others are completely dry countries due to religious observance like Saudi Arabia. Effects Mild consumption of alcohol is not necessarily bad, however it is not without its effects on the body. Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant. This is noticeable when people under the influence of alcohol are slow to react, have slurred speech, or have troubles walking in a straight line. Short term negative impacts are dehydration, impaired judgement, and even blacking out. Overconsumption of alcohol can lead to many serious health problems. Alcohol is processed in the liver, and overconsumption means placing the liver under stress. Long term alcohol use can lead to cirrhosis of the liver and eventual liver failure. Alcohol also damages many other areas of the body including the pancreas and digestive system. Treatment Alcohol is the most commonly abused drug in the USA and Canada. It is hardly surprisingly considering almost every adult social (and often work) gathering will be held at a place that serves alcohol. In the USA up to 40% of patients in large urban hospitals are there with illnesses that have been caused or exacerbated by drinking alcohol. However, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism in the USA states that “alcohol problems can yield to scientifically-based medical and psychosocial intervention in the same way as other health conditions are responsive to prevention and treatment”. There are many approaches to treatment, and it often comes down to what the individual responds to best. If you or a loved one is struggling with alcohol, please use our directory to find the nearest resources. References: Alcoholism: Natural History and Background The Effects of Alcohol on Your Body Short and Long Term Mental Effects of Alcohol Alcohol: A Short History Your Checklist When Looking for Addiction Treatment The post Drug Fact Sheet: Alcohol appeared first on Canada Drug...
