Hon. Anne C. Cools: Honourable senators, I rise to speak to third reading of Bill C-45, An Act respecting cannabis and to amend the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, the Criminal Code and other Acts.

I must inform you that I have absolutely no will to vote in favour of this bill, and I have not been prompted by any good reason as to why I should. In my view, this bill is unconscionable and morally objectionable. I have had great difficulty accepting the fact that Canada’s national government is leading on the legitimation of the frequent and recreational consumption of cannabis, known as marijuana, and does so despite the abundant and copious evidence in its possession that cannabis is a dangerous psychoactive narcotic.

The Government of Canada is well informed and fully aware that cannabis legalization is not solely a matter of the government’s presenting and providing cannabis as a harmless and healthy form of recreation and entertainment. The real issue here is that marijuana is, in fact, a mind-altering drug and is most harmful to the human mind, the brain, and the cognitive functions of its users, whether frequent or occasional, and most particularly to the minds of our youth.

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines psychoactive as “affecting the mind or behavior.” In addition, The Oxford English Dictionary defines psychoactive as “Of a drug: that possesses the ability to affect the mind, emotions, or behaviour.”

Colleagues, I believe that the consequence of cannabis decriminalization and legalization is a much deeper issue than the properties of the drug itself. As Deputy Chair of our Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade, I was struck and impressed by the quality and quantity of concerns raised by many witnesses regarding Canada’s obligations, conventions and international treaty agreements.

Mr. Bruno Gélinas-Faucher, a PhD candidate in International Law at Britain’s Cambridge University, testified before our Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, a committee which I must add is ably chaired by our honourable colleague, Senator Andreychuk, on March 29, 2018. He informed, as recorded in this committee’s report on Bill C-45, at page 11, that:

. . . this is not minor at all. Legalizing cannabis will lead to the violation of a fundamental principle that is at the very heart of the conventions.

Honourable senators, this witness, Mr. Gélinas-Faucher, cited documents from Global Affairs Canada, obtained through an access to information request. These documents recognized that the legalization of cannabis would have “a significant impact” on Canada’s obligations under the international drug control conventions.

Colleagues, I believe that this bill, which will make drastic and radical behavioural and social changes, has not been sufficiently and vigorously thought through, nor have our Canadian citizens and our international partners been sufficiently consulted.

Colleagues, testifying before the Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade, many witnesses raised the important question, being the extent of the impact of Canada’s legalization of cannabis on our population.

In a written brief to our Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, the quasi-judicial control body called the International Narcotics Control Board, which was established by the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961, and which is also responsible for the implementation of the United Nations drug conventions, wrote that Bill C-45 is “incompatible with the treaty obligations to which Canada is bound.”

The International Narcotics Control Board further noted, and is recorded in our Foreign Affairs Committee’s Report at page 11, that:

. . . it “views any legislative measure aimed at legalizing and regulating the use of controlled substances for non-medical purposes as a fundamental breach of the international treaty provisions to which State parties to the international drug control conventions are held.”

Accordingly, the International Narcotic Control Board further noted that:

. . . the legalization and regulation of cannabis for non-medical purposes . . . as foreseen in Bill C-45, cannot be reconciled with Canada’s international obligations . . . .

Colleagues, section 91 of our Constitution Act, 1867, is headed “Powers of the Parliament,” and informs us that the fundamental purpose of government is:

91. It shall be lawful for the Queen, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate and the House of Commons, to make Laws for the Peace, Order, and good Government of Canada, in relation to all Matters not coming within the Classes of Subjects by this Act assigned exclusively to the Legislatures of the Provinces; . . .

Honourable senators, I do not believe that Bill C-45 can possibly be for the peace, order and good government of Canada. As a senator, I feel morally and politically bound to use my intellect at all times. For many reasons, I have simply not been persuaded that Bill C-45 is legally, morally and spiritually sound. I sincerely believe and I know that psychoactive drugs are a mighty foe to our society and to our young people. I believe that I have a duty to uphold those whom I do not know, and the many who have no voice, to speak on these issues.

Colleagues, a worrisome characteristic of cannabis that should preoccupy us is that whereas the human body can process and excrete alcohol quickly, the human body is slow to discharge marijuana, which can reside and remain in the body for up to four weeks.

Throughout this debate, I have rarely heard this health question raised. For myself, this health fact this is not one that I can ignore. The slow exit of cannabis from the human person should be a source of concern to all senators.

I maintain that cannabis is a very dangerous drug, which many have been persuaded to think is less dangerous and less harmful than cocaine and heroin.

Honourable senators, I shall close with Saint Thomas Aquinas.

(1900)

He said:

Every judgement of conscience, be it right or wrong, be it about things evil in themselves or morally indifferent, is obligatory, in such wise that he who acts against his conscience always sins.

Honourable senators, from where I look out at life and at these issues which deeply affect our youth and young people, I am convinced that Bill C-45 cannot possibly be for the peace, order and good government of Canada. I shall vote with my conscience.

I thank honourable senators for their attention in this very important matter.

https://sencanada.ca/en/content/sen/chamber/421/debates/214db_2018-06-04-e#27

CANADIANS: LEARN THE TRUTH ABOUT MARIJUANA DANGERS

30/5/18Bottom of Form

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has promised to legalize marijuana by summer 2018.  While marijuana has been directly linked to multiple suicides across the United States, the Canadian government refuses to recognize pot as anything but a harmless drug.  In response to Trudeau’s legalization plans, Health Canada has unveiled a marijuana consumer fact sheet, warning Canadians about the adverse effects of marijuana use.  With legalization on the horizon ClearTheAirNow.org partnered with RIWI to survey over 1,100 Canadians from May 2 to May 12 and gauge their awareness of marijuana’s dangerous health effects, as previously reported by Health Canada.

40% of Canadians are unaware that marijuana impairs safe driving — where is the outrage!

Marijuana Impaired Driving is Not Safe Driving

RIWI found that more than 40 percent of Canadians under age 25 are unaware that marijuana impacts safe driving.  Far too many young lives have been lost to marijuana impaired driving for this to be acceptable.  There were 3,335 marijuana-related U.S. driving fatalities in 2016.  And marijuana impairment now comprises 24.2% of the fatal crashes in states that have legalized marijuana.  Driving under the influence of marijuana significantly impairs motor coordination, judgment and reaction time.  Given today’s highly potent marijuana, Canada should expect the same if not more fatalities attributed to marijuana impaired driving.

48% of Canadians believe marijuana is addictive — Why isn’t Health Canada educating more?

Is Marijuana Addictive?

According to RIWI, about half of respondents (48 percent) agree that marijuana is addictive.  These findings back up Health Canada’s 2016 statement regarding the drug’s addictive properties:  “long term use may result in psychological dependence (addiction).”  Yes, marijuana addiction is real.  Many of the stories shared with the Poppot community involve adolescents consistently smoking marijuana for at least a year (or more) and the aftermath – changes in personality, cognitive behavior, energy level, diet, digestive stomach problems, and sleep patterns.  For one Texas mom her daughter’s drug abuse was a daily nightmare.  At 17 years old she was smoking marijuana on a daily basis, eventually moving on to harder, more illicit drugs.  Later her marijuana addiction ended but others weren’t so lucky.  We implore Canadian parents to ask themselves, “how can I protect my child under marijuana legalization?”

42% of Canadians believe that marijuana could increase the risk of mental illnesses such as anxiety and depression!

Marijuana and Mental Health

Back in 2016 Health Canada declared that “long term use [of marijuana] may increase the risk of triggering or aggravating psychiatric and/or mood disorders (schizophrenia, psychosis, anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder).  RIWI found that 42 percent of Canadians believe that marijuana could increase the risk of mental illnesses such as anxiety and depression, while 58 percent are unaware of marijuana’s long-term effects on the brain.  There are studies linking marijuana use to an increased risk of schizophrenia, but yet most people just aren’t aware of the connection.  What should be disturbing to Canadian families is the amount of psychosis cases treated just in Washington state – one hospital reports one to two new psychosis patients every day.  Yet marijuana and mental health problems are nothing new.  Since 2002, a series of European studies have reported that individuals who use cannabis have a greater risk of developing psychotic symptoms.  The science is there and it’s time Canada wakes up to marijuana’s dangerous effects on mental health.

For complete article http://www.poppot.org/2018/05/30/canada-marijuana-dangers/

Marijuana Madness
Three really informative video clips on marijuana legalization and cultivation that came out of Colorado recently:

• Black Market Thriving http://www.cbc.ca/news/thenational/black-market-for-pot-growing-despite-legalization-in-colorado-1.4675640
• Property Values Declining https://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/our-colorado/homeowners-in-rural-colorado-worry-commercial-pot-grow-will-overtake-the-lifestyle
• Inside a Raid of a Cuban Drug Den in Colorado https://www.today.com/video/inside-a-raid-on-a-cuban-drug-den-in-colorado-1243696707528

Research

• Ability to monitor driving under the influence of marijuana among non-fatal motor-vehicle crashes: An evaluation of the Colorado electronic accident reporting system. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29776525
• MOTOR VEHICLE CRASH FATALATIES AND UNDERCOMPENSATED CARE ASSOCIATED WITH LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29787529

Legal Rulings

• Court rules CBD is Schedule 1 controlled substance, cannabidiol sales only where pot legal https://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/news/2018/05/04/court-rules-cbd-cannabidiol-schedule-1-controlled-substance-marijuana-pot/580835002/

Wylie isn’t out of the woods yet, Daphne sighs. “He’s depressed. He’s not on ice but he’s back on marijuana. The [brain’s] dopamine center gets affected by ice, and when he’s on it, he thinks he’s the greatest rap star in the world, and when he’s off it, he’s suicidal. It’s hard,” she says.

Scipione grows emotional as he speaks of watching a close friend’s son go from life as a married father to bankrupting his family business to eventually being jailed for attempted murder. Ice “rapes people of their dignity,” he says. He doesn’t pretend to have all the answers: “You can’t arrest your way out of this problem.”

http://time.com/4737800/meth-australia-ice-crystal-methamphetamine-methylamphetamine/

Alberta updates legislation to deal with cannabis legalization

May 2018 By DATAC

In preparation for the upcoming federal cannabis legalization, Alberta is planning to modernize its Gaming and Liquor Act. The act oversees three main areas; gaming, provincial lotteries and liqour, and now with the legalization of cannabis looming, that will be included in their purview.

“We remain focused on building a system for legal cannabis that prioritizes the safety and security of all Albertans,” says Kathleen Ganley, Minister of Justice and Solicitor General. “These amendments to the Gaming and Liquor Act represent another step in our continued work to prepare for the legalization of cannabis.”

The updates to the legislation would include:

• The maximum allowable administrative fines for infractions against the Gaming and Liqour act would go from $200,000 to $1 million.
• There would be rules with regard to what cannabis retailers would be able to call their sales establishments, as well as their products; prohibiting anything that would connote they they were “therapeutic” or “medicinal” in an effort to not lead consumers astray, thereby protecting public health.
• Permit a court to use the inference of law enforcement officers for the purpose of prosecution, allowing the officer to come to conclusions with regard to what is cannabis based on it’s odour, label or packaging.
• Create consumption regulations similar to existing rules for alcohol and tobacco to allow for the prosecution of owners of a premises that allows the smoking and/or vaping of marijuana where it is not permitted.
• Legally allow liquor blending and infusion to modernize liquor policies.

For more https://datac.ca/alberta-updates-legislation-to-deal-with-cannabis-legalization/

Snapshot of Colorado Cannabis Chaos!

In 2012, the State of Colorado voted on Amendment 64, which legalized marijuana for recreational use, which passed by 55% vote. It allowed anyone over the age of 21 to consume or possess limited amounts and allowed local governments to regulate or prohibit within their jurisdiction. 72% OF THE STATES MUNICIPALITIES OPTED OUT OF RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA IN THEIR COMMUNITY (COLORADO COUNTIES DATA)

It also enacted an excise tax, which would generate revenue for the State of Colorado.

IN 2017, COLORADO RECEIVED $247M IN TAX REVENUE COMPRISING ABOUT 1% OF THE STATES TOTAL BUDGET (COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE) COLORADO’S GOVERNOR IS REPORTING A $500 MILLION SHORTFALL IN HIS 2018 BUDGET WITH SIGNIFICANT CUTS TO ROADS, SCHOOLS, HOSPITALS, AN INCREASE STATE TUITION, AND ELIMINATION OF A TAXPAYER REFUND

In 2013, the United States Department of Justice released the Cole Memo, allowing states with marijuana laws to develop regulatory schemes that protected eight (8) federal enforcement areas, and included:

1. Prevent the distribution to minors

BETWEEN 2005 AND 2015, THE PROPORTION OF EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT OR URGENT CARE VISITS IN COLORADO FOR THOSE BETWEEN 13 AND 20 YO INCREASED BY MORE THAN 100% (JOURNAL OF ADOLESCENT HEALTH)

PAST MONTH USE OF MARIJUANA AMONG COLORADO YOUTH 12-17 CONTINUED TO RISE ABOVE THE NATIONAL AVERAGE (NSDUH 2006-2017).

THERE HAS BEEN A 65% INCREASE IN FIRST TIME USE AMONG COLORADO YOUTH SINCE LEGALIZATION, NOW RANKED FIRST IN THE NATION (NSDUH 2006-2017)

MARIJUANA IS THE MOST PREVALENT SUBSTANCE FOUND IN COMPLETED COLORADO TEEN SUICIDE (CDPHE)

MARIJUANA-RELATED EXPOSURES TO CHILDREN (AGES 0-5) NEARLY TRIPLED IN THE 4 YEAR AVERAGE SINCE LEGALIZATION, COMPARED TO THE 4 YEAR AVERAGE PRIOR TO LEGALIZATION (ROCKY MOUNTAIN POISON AND DRUG CENTER)

THERE WAS A 19% INCREASE IN MARIJUANA RELATED SCHOOL SUSPENSIONS IN THE 2016-17 SCHOOL YEAR (COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION) 88% OF COLORADO STUDENTS REPORT GETTING MARIJUANA FROM PARENTS, FRIENDS, OR THE BLACK MARKET (COLORADO ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS)

2. Prevent revenue from the sale of marijuana from going to criminal enterprises, gangs, and cartels

THE NUMBER OF ILLEGAL MARIJUANA GROWS IN COLORADO HAS SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED SINCE LEGALIZATION WITH OVER 500 ALONE IN EL PASO COUNTY, WHICH INCLUDES COLORADO SPRINGS WHICH OPTED OUT OF LEGALIZED MARIJUANA (EL PASO COUNTY SHERIFFS DEPARTMENT) LAW ENFORCEMENT IS SPENDING INCREASING TIME ON ILLEGAL GROWS WITH LIMITED FUNDING AND RESOURCES (EL PASO COUNTY SHERIFFS DEPARTMENT)

3. Prevent the diversion of marijuana from states where it is legal under state law in some form to other states

IN 2016 ALONE, COLORADO LAW ENFORCEMENT CONFISCATED 7,116 POUNDS OF MARIJUANA, CARRIED OUT 252 FELONY ARRESTS, AND MADE 346 HIGHWAY INTERDICTIONS OF MARIJUANA HEADED TO 36 DIFFERENT U.S. STATES (EL PASO INTELLIGENCE CENTER)

THE U.S. MAIL SYSTEM SAW AN 844% INCREASE IN POSTAL MARIJUANA SEIZURES OUT OF COLORADO SINCE LEGALIZATION (US POSTAL INSPECTION SERVICE)

4. Prevent state-authorized marijuana activity from being a cover or pretext for the trafficking of other illegal drugs or illegal activity

COLORADO’S LARGEST POT BUST SINCE LEGALIZATION IN JUNE 2017, INCLUDED VIOLATION OF THE COLORADO ORGANIZED CRIME ACT, MONEY LAUNDERING, TAX EVASION, THEFT, MORTGAGE AND SECURITIES FRAUD INCLUDED A FORMER COLORADO MARIJUANA ENFORCEMENT OFFICER AND A DENVERBASED MARIJUANA ENTREPRENEUR

5. Prevent violence and the use of firearms in the cultivation and distribution of marijuana

COLORADO SPRINGS HAD A RECORD NUMBER OF TOTAL HOMICIDES SINCE LEGALIZATION IN 2017 AND A RECORD NUMBER OF MARIJUANA RELATED HOMICIDES SINCE LEGALIZATION IN 2017 (COLORADO SPRINGS POLICE DEPARTMENT) COLORADO HAS NOTED AN 11% INCREASE IN MARIJUANA RELATED CRIMES FROM 2013 TO 2016 (COLORADO BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION)

6. Prevent drugged driving and the exacerbation of other adverse health consequences associated with marijuana use

COLORADO HAD A RECORD NUMBER OF MARIJUANA RELATED DRIVING FATALITIES IN 2016, WITH MORE THAN 20% BEING MARIJUANA RELATED (CDOT)

IN 2017, COLORADO HAD A NEW RECORD NUMBER OF TOTAL FATALITIES (MARIJUANA DATA PENDING) EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS ARE SEEING PROBLEMS ASSOICATED WIHT HIGH POTENCY PRODUCTS INCLUDING SEVERE MENTAL ILLNESS, PSYCHOSIS AND SCHIZOPHRENIA, AND VIOLENCE

MARIJUANA USE HAD NOT CURBED COLORADO’S OPIOID EPIDEMIC AND COLORADO HAD A RECORD YEAR OF OPIOID OVERDOSE DEATHS IN 2017 AND COLORADO IS SEEING AN INCREASE IN OTHER DRUG RELATED DEATHS FROM METHAMPHETAMINE AND COCAINE COINCIDING WITH MASS COMMERCIALIZATION (COLORADO CONSORTIUM FOR PRESCRIPTION DRUG PREVENTION)

LEGALIZATION HAS BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH INCREASED MARIJUANA USE CAUSING AN INCREASE IN ED VISITS AND HOSPITALIZATIONS RELATED TO ACUTE MARIJUANA INTOXICATION, CANNABINOID HYPEREMESIS SYNDROME, PSYCHOSIS, AND PEDIATRIC EXPOSURE AT UNCERTAIN COSTS (UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO, DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MEDICINE, COLORADO HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION, CDPHE) ONE HOSPITAL, IN A COMMUNITY WHICH OPTED OUT OF LEGAL MARIJUANA, EXPERIENCED $20 MILLION LOSS IN HEALTH CARE DOLLARS BETWEEN 2009 AND 2014 DUE TO MARIJUANA RELATED EMERGENCY ROOM VISITS.

THERE ARE MULTIPLE OTHER NEGATIVE MEDICAL AND HEALTH EFFECTS INCLUDING CARDIAC, PULMONARY, GASTROINTESTINAL, FETAL, NEONATAL, MATERNAL-FETAL, PEDIATRIC, NEUROLOGICAL, REPRODUCTIVE, AND PSYCHIATRIC

7. Prevent the growing of marijuana on public lands and the attendant public safety and

environmental dangers posed by marijuana production on public lands. ERADICATION OF ILLEGAL MARIJUANA PLANTS FROM COLORADO’S ROCKY MOUNTAINS INCREASED OVER 2,200% SINCE 2014 WITH A STREET VALUE OF $177 MILLION (US FOREST SERVICE, ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGION)

8. Prevent marijuana possession or use on federal property.

IN 2012, A 20 ACRE ILLEGAL MARIJUANA GROW WAS FOUND IN THE BURN SCAR OF ONE OF COLORADO SPRINGS LARGEST WILDFIRES IN THE PIKE NATIONAL FOREST

SUMMARY:

COLORADO HAS DONE A POOR JOB SINCE MASS COMMERCIALIZATION, EXPANSION, AND LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA CREATING SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY CONCERNS AT UNKNOWN SOCIETAL COSTS REMINISCENT OF TOBACCO AND ALCOHOL.

DON’T FLY THE PLANE BEFORE BUILDING IT. FOLLOW THE SCIENCE, NOT THE MONEY AS THIS COULD BE THE LARGEST TROJAN HORSE OF ALL TIME. I INVITE YOU TO VISIT COLORADO AND SEE FIRST HAND THE MARIJUANA REFUGEES, SPEND A SHIFT IN AN EMERGENCY ROOM WHERE MARIJUANA RELATED ILLNESSES ARE SEEN EVERY SINGLE DAY, TALK TO THE FIRST RESPONDERS WHO NEED TO SHOWER AND CLEAN THEIR CLOTHES AFTER EVERY SHIFT BECAUSE THEY SMELL LIKE MARIJUANA, MEET THE FAMILIES THAT HAVE BEEN EFFECTED OR LOST LOVED ONES RELATED TO MARIJUANA.

THERE IS SUBSTANTIAL EVIDENCE THAT MARIJUANA USE CAN HAVE NEGATIVE HEALTH EFFECTS ON MULTIPLE ORGAN SYSTEMS AND IS ASSOCIATED WITH PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY CONCERNS:

• BRAIN (END ORGAN)
• ADDICTION
• CANNABIS USE DISORDER
• PSYCHOSIS (PARTICULARLY WITH HIGH POTENCY PRODUCTS)
• SCHIZOPHRENIA
• BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS INCLUDING VIOLENCE
• IMPAIRED DRIVING CAPACITY
• DEPRESSION
• ANXIETY
• CARDIAC: MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION — TACHYCARDIA — ARRHYTHMIA
• PERIPHERAL VASCULAR DISEASE
• HYPERTENSION
• STROKE
• LUNG
• BRONCHITIS
• LUNG INFLAMMATION
• POSSIBLY IMPAIRED LUNG FUNCTION
• PREGNANCY
• EFFECTS ON THE DEVELOPING HUMAN BRAIN IN UTERO
• EFFECTS DURING BREAST FEEDING DURING IN
• ASSOCIATION WITH SEVERAL BIRTH DEFECTS
• GASTROINTESTINAL
• CANNABIS HYPEREMESIS SYNDROME
• REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH
• LOW SPERM COUNT
• TESTICULAR CANCER

RECOMMENDATIONS:

1. Monitor individual and population health data over time

2. Track health effects and costs over time

3. Provide funding for scientific study and public education on health risks

4. Limit potency to 15%

5. Limit the variety of products and mechanisms of delivery

6. Discourage smoking

7. Provide funding for prevention in adolescents

8. Determine and develop better means to prevent youth access

9. Provide resources and funding for mental health treatment

10. Provide resources and funding for law enforcement

11. Do not allow home grows

12. Assure you protect your natural resources and environment

Colorado schools report nearly 19 percent increase in marijuana suspensions

http://kdvr.com/2018/04/30/colorado-schools-report-nearly-19-percent-increase-in-marijuana-suspensions/

Impact on Marijuana Legalisation in Colorado on Adolescent Emergency and Urgent Care admissions:

https://www.jahonline.org/article/S1054-139X(18)30004-1/abstract

Vaping tied to higher risk that teens will try marijuana (Reuters Health) – Teens who use e-cigarettes may be twice as likely to smoke pot as their peers who never try vaping, a U.S. study suggests.

The results, from surveys of more than 10,000 youth ages 12 to 17, add to earlier evidence suggesting that e-cigarettes may be a gateway to smoking tobacco and experimenting with drugs. In the current study, younger teens aged 12 to 14 were 2.7 times more likely to smoke pot once they tried vaping, while the odds of marijuana use were 1.6 times higher for older adolescents who used e-cigarettes.

For more https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-ecigarettes-teens/vaping-tied-to-higher-risk-that-teens-will-try-marijuana-idUSKBN1HU2MW

E-Cigs Are Risky–Whatever They Look Like (NIDA Blog Team May, 2018)

You may have heard of JUUL. It’s one brand of e-cigarette that has gotten very popular lately–so popular that the term “JUULing” is becoming common. While we usually don’t discuss brand names on the blog, some experts think the name “JUUL” might become like “Kleenex” or “Xerox”; these brands became so popular that people often use those names instead of “tissue” or “copy.”

Quitting–or starting? The company that makes JUUL says they designed the device for adults who are trying to quit smoking regular cigarettes; the company has educational programs for teens about waiting until they’re adults to use these devices. But JUUL is still being used by teens, who think teachers and other adults won’t notice because the JUUL doesn’t look like a regular e-cig.

A JUUL is a small, rectangular, box-shaped device that looks more like a flash drive than a cigarette. Like most e-cigs, they come in flavors that appeal to young people.

For more https://teens.drugabuse.gov/blog/post/e-cigs-are-risky-whatever-they-look-like

The true cost of legalising drugs

May 1, 2018

We hear an awful lot about the virtues of legalising drugs, but rarely about the costs of such an experiment.

Last week we were told that we should stop treating addiction as a crime (though we don’t) and start treating it as health problem (which we do already, to the tune of hundreds of millions of pounds a year for mainly methadone treatment, questionable though this synthetic heroin substitute is, and some other interventions).

The Times reported, somewhat misleadingly, that hospital doctors, in the form of the Royal College of Physicians, were calling for all drugs to decriminalised — prompting the questions: even ketamine? Even the dangerous heroin substitute krokodil? Would they would be handing out medically prescribed and supervised diamorphine? Such are the dilemmas lurking in the Pandora’s Box of legalisation.

Further down the text you find that the RCP is not quite so gung-ho about legalisation after all. What it really had ‘thrown its weight behind’ was a campaign by nameless ‘public health leaders’ to give priority ‘to tackling the harm caused by drugs rather than attempts at reducing their use’.

Possessing drugs for personal use, the College thinks, should no longer be a crime, but it stops short of advocating legalisation, and believes that dealers should still be prosecuted. Which is pretty much a description of the Government’s current drug policy.

Exactly what hospital doctors are facing on a daily basis in A&E is the de facto decriminalisation of all sorts of illegal drugs, and a country overrun with drugs and drugs crime because of the laissez-faire approach of the police.

For complete article What drug policy?

Harmless? Never

Would highly recommend reading Peter Hitchens’s The War We Never Fought which is an insightful analysis of Britain’s failed experiment in drug liberalisation.

I myself used to abuse cannabis regularly when I was younger, partly due to being told by the police that it was harmless during school drugs talks in the late 1990s. The waste of money, time and potential harm to my education is hard to quantify, but I know it is immense. Fortunately I was eventually able to steer myself away from this path of self-destruction, but telling children drugs are harmless is unbelievably stupid policy.

Not Counting This — are we?