Alberta in particular continues to ride the “War on Drugs” policy train from the 1980s. In fact, in many ways the current UCP government has doubled down on it with an approach that basically says “recovery is the only option for addicts” – to the point of actually talking openly
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The Cracked Crystal Ball II: On Drug Deaths, Harm Reduction and Addiction Treatment
Of late, CPC leader Pierre Poilievre has been making a lot of noise about drug addiction, deaths resulting from overdoses, and so on. So far, much of his rhetoric and “solutions” are basically boiling down to pushing people into treatment. Which misses the point entirely. One of many problems with
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Conveniently Ignoring History
While I am sure there are some interests within Canada who will applaud Justin Trudeau’s latest effort at placating Donald Trump, I am not one of them. As history well demonstrates, policies of appeasement never work. Trudeau’s latest attempt at taming the insensate Toddler-in-Chief is to be found in his
Continue readingAlberta Politics: UCP leader says he’s opposed to more safe-drug-consumption clinics – but what does he favour to address opioid crisis?
PHOTOS: United Conservative Party Leader Jason Kenney in a typical pose. He said in Lethbridge last week he’s opposed to harm-reduction efforts like supervised injection sites to deal with the opioid crisis. But what does he support? Below: Mr. Kenney’s brother David Kenney (Photo: Once posted on LinkedIn); NDP Banff-Cochrane
Continue readingAlberta Politics: The Top 10 Alberta political news stories of 2016: AlbertaPolitics.ca’s picks
PHOTOS: Alberta NDP Premier Rachel Notley. Below: Calgary MLA Sandra Jansen, elected as a Progressive Conservative and now a member of the NDP, Municipal Affairs Minister Danielle Larivee, and the late Jim Prentice, the last PC premier of Alberta. 2016: It was the International Year of the Bean. I kid
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: 1000 world leaders, celebrities demand reform of global drug control policies
Over 1000 world leaders, celebrities and activists have signed an open letter to to United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, demanding reform of global drug control policies.
The post 1000 world leaders, celebrities demand reform of global drug co…
The Canadian Progressive: Federal election 2015: Real debate about legalizing marijuana needed
Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s moral crusade against marijuana escalates the war on drugs wastes public resources on law enforcement and the justice system. The post Federal election 2015: Real debate about legalizing marijuana needed appeared first on The Canadian Progressive.
Continue readingDead Wild Roses: War On Drugs Still a Losing Battle
Why are drugs still illegal? I wrote a while ago about the success of Portugal, where all drugs were legalized, and the money previously used to enforce drug laws were instead used to fund social programs to help those with drug problems. Not only was Portugal’s drug abuse problem significantly reduced,
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: Michael Brown – Ferguson, Missouri – The War on Drugs
What does America’s War on Drugs have to do with the execution/killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri and the riots it spawned? The New Republic‘s John McWhorter believes they’re inextricably linked and contends that the way to avoid future Ferguson riots is to end the War on Drugs. We don’t
Continue readingWritings of J. Todd Ring: Hemp Revolution
Hemp has enormous potential to help us build an ecologically sound society. It can replace most uses of tree-derived paper products and lumber, thus saving vast amounts of forests. It can eliminate and replace most uses of synthetic fibres, which are used in clothing, furniture, carpets and textiles, and
Continue readingWritings of J. Todd Ring: The prohibition of guns – and the violence it will create
Gerald Celente is right, as usual: he said, look at how the government handled the prohibition of alcohol – it was a disaster. They completely failed. All they managed to do, was to push organized crime through the roof. Alcohol didn’t disappear, but crime soared. Look at the so-called “war
Continue readingWritings of J. Todd Ring: The deeper reasons for the “war on drugs”
There is a deeper reason for the war on drugs, which is the central reason for the policy, even outweighing profits from private prisons and seizure of property by law enforcement officers, both of which no doubt are also significant and strong motivations for keeping the “war on drugs” going.
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Hee Hee Hee
Despite the misspelling in the caption, I rather like this cartoon, probably for obvious reasons. As well, you may enjoy these letters from Star readers who have an even less flattering view of Mr. Harper as it pertains to his northern junket, escaping the heat via prorogation, and his ongoing
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: The Marijuana Debate Continues
The other day I wrote a post suggesting the need for a vigorous debate on the question of the legalization of marijuana, a drug against which countless billions have been spent as part of what many feel is a failed ‘war on drugs.’ In today’s Star, there is a spirited
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Legalization Of Marijuana – The Need For A Vigorous Debate
I believe the sterotype is that as we get older, our views become more entrenched and conservative. In my own life, I have found the opposite to be true. When I was young, I was certainly to the right of centre in my social views. I was a supporter of
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: The Butcher’s Price of the War on Drugs
Mexico’s drug wars have been brutal. Upwards of 70,000 have been killed, often brutally, usually near the U.S. border. Now it’s emerging that another 27,000 have simply disappeared. Combined with the 70,000 dead acknowledged recently by the new administration of President Enrique Pena Nieto, who succeeded Calderon on Dec. 1,
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: Ask the Guy Who Never Inhaled – the War on Drugs is For Losers
Wild Bill Clinton, America’s favourite bad boy ex-pres, says his country’s war on drugs is not working. Quelle surprise! “As the legal limbo surrounding the Washington and Colorado laws continues, a documentary entitled “Breaking the Taboo” premiered on Friday. The film focuses on The Global Commission on Drug Policy’s attempt
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: Politicians Please Ponder Pot Policies Promptly!
Richard ‘Hub’ Hughes-Political Blogger
For decades our politicians have pouted over the question of legalization often throwing their hands in the air pointing to the US War on Drugs as evidence that they could not possibly legalize cannabis here in Canada.
Well the air has just been let out of that balloon.
Washington State and Colorado residents voted for regulated legalization and will now set out to kick the plans into gear.
This has really ruffled the feathers of our BC politicians and their Federal counterparts. What to do now? OMG the pressure is on!
I’m sure glad I have a driver! I can’t stop giggling and I have the munchies!
What are our politicans thinking?
The latest polling shows 75 percent of Canadians want the funny tobacco legalized.
It is really only a minority bolstered by those who profit in the deadly drug trade that want to see legalization blocked.
It is disappointing to see our Liberal and NDP leaders ducking the issue. They have in unison kicked the ball over to the Ottawa crowd.
Christy! What was in those Timbits?
Both Premier Christie Clark and BC NDP leader Adrian Dix conveniently ignore the fact that Premiers and their Attorney Generals can take steps provincially by instructing our police forces and prosecutors to lay off busting people for simple possession of marijuana.
Canada’s Premier’s should be lobbying Ottawa to listen to the strong majority desire for and end to prohibition.
I still don’t feel any different. It doesn’t seem to work for me. Can I have some timbits?
PM Harper embraces the 1930′s ‘Reefer Madness’ attitude to the devil weed and would just as soon jail pot puffers.
NDP leader Thomas Mulcair has balked, flip flopped and spoken against liberalizing present laws that turn otherwise law abiding citizen into criminals.
He has sadly demonstrated that he too is out of touch with Canadian attudes towards the failed ‘War on Drug’s.’
Bob Rae, Federal Liberal Interim leader has said that what we have in place is not working and we really have to look at a different approach.
Federal Liberal Leadership hopeful Justin Trudeau appears to be poised to actually step up, but so far he has been bob and weaving. He may surprise in later rounds of the bout.
Thwer has been a clear call from the Young Liberals to end the prohibition that has failed miserably.
Most Canadian Politicans, not all, are out of touch with the mood of the nation.
It is not too late for our politicians to take a deep breath and seize the moment. It will be most revealing to watch the dance that follows.
Continue readingObama wins! Marijuana legalized?!?!
(On a quick side note, I’m going to start breaking up my posts into the different topics in the title, using red headings, as seen below – ‘Fiscal Cliff and American Political System’ – to make it easier for people to find what they really want…
Continue readingArt Threat: How to Make Money Selling Drugs – Documentary is part how-to video, part indictment of drug policy
Of the 372 film titles listed in the Toronto International Film Festival’s program this year, few are likely to raise more eyebrows than How to Make Money Selling Drugs, a documentary that surprisingly delivers precisely what it promises. From tiff.net: Stylishly shot and cheekily framed as a subversive educational film,
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