Reprinted with permission from the Canadian Medical Association Journal With tabling of Bill C-45, the federal government has moved one step closer to fulfilling its election promise to legalize the use of cannabis in Canada, despite concerns over the many health risks associated with its use. The purported purpose of the act is to protect […]
Blacklock’s Reporter (“Examine Pot & Grades”) | May 12, 2017 High school marijuana users have lower grades, says a University of Waterloo study. The research is the first of its kind since the Department of Public Safety noted it had no data on the impact of legal cannabis on school performance. “Regardless of students’ aspirational […]
Originally published on April 30, 2016 at www.medicalxpress.com A new study to be presented at the Pediatric Academic Societies 2016 Meeting found that one in six infants and toddlers admitted to a Colorado hospital with coughing, wheezing and other symptoms of bronchiolitis tested positive for marijuana exposure. The study, “Marijuana Exposure in Children Hospitalized for […]
CMA president Dr. Granger Avery said Canadians must be informed that smoking marijuana is not a ‘benign activity.’ The Hill Times | May 8, 2017 Before legalizing marijuana, the Trudeau government needs to launch an aggressive public education campaign to combat popular mistruths and make significant investments to improve the admittedly sparse slate of existing […]
Originally published in the Toronto Sun A new study that analyzed adolescent emergency room visits could cause the idea pot legalization is safe for youth to go up in smoke. Researchers studied the critical care records of kids between the ages of 13 and 21 at Children’s Hospital Colorado over a 10-year period and found […]
While the Trudeau government charges ahead blindly with marijuana legalization for those 18 and over, Health Canada is warning that no one under the age of 25 should use marijuana. Read it for yourself on the Health Canada website: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/dhp-mps/marihuana/info/cons-eng.php
“Today, Iceland tops the European table for the cleanest-living teens. The percentage of 15- and 16-year-olds who had been drunk in the previous month plummeted from 42 per cent in 1998 to 5 per cent in 2016. The percentage who have ever used cannabis is down from 17 per cent to 7 per cent. Those […]
IN HIS OWN WORDS: While doing an on air interview with 630 CHED on April 21, 2017, MP Bill Blair, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice noted that marijuana is a mind-altering drug. Yet he still wants to legalize it. Listen here: MP Bill Blair, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice points out that science […]
Canadian Psychiatric Association NEWS RELEASE Ottawa, ON, April 12, 2017 – With the federal government set to legalize marijuana on or before July 1, 2018, the Canadian Psychiatric Association (CPA) has released a statement today highlighting the importance of safeguarding the mental wellness of youth and young adults in the forthcoming legislation. “There is a […]
Excerpted from Harvard Medical School’s “Medical marijuana and the mind“ Marijuana exacerbates psychotic symptoms and worsens outcomes in patients already diagnosed with schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders. Several large observational studies also strongly suggest that using marijuana — particularly in the early teenage years — can increase risk of developing psychosis. An often-cited study of […]
Dr. Harold Kalant is a professor emeritus of the University of Toronto’s department of Pharmacology and toxicology. He was director of biological and behavioural research at the Addiction Research Foundation of Ontario (now the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health). Since 1959 Kr. Kalant’s research has been largely on alcohol and cannabis. Following is Dr. Kalant’s […]
Prime Minister Trudeau’s pot legalization plan bad for the country’s young people Edmonton Sun | January 11, 2017 Sen. Betty Unger, Alberta Senator Last summer the Trudeau government established a task force to study marijuana legalization and regulation. Their mandate was to consult with Canadians about developing a framework for legal access to marijuana (cannabis). […]
The following is excerpted from, “Parents, Peers and Pot: The Rise of the Drug Culture and the Birth of the Parent Movement, 1976-1980” by Emily Dufton. Text has been edited for brevity. From 1973 to 1978, marijuana was decriminalized or legalized across America in twelve states that together contained a third of the nation’s population. […]
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai NEW YORK, NY December 7, 2016 | Press Release Children exposed to secondhand marijuana smoke show measurable amounts of the drug in their bodies, a researcher at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai has found. The study was published in the journal Pediatric Research. The study […]
News Release FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 13, 2016 OTTAWA – Senator Betty Unger today commented on the release of the final report of the Task Force on Cannabis Legalization and Regulation, expressing her deep concern over the government’s intention to legalize marijuana. “It is extremely unfortunate that the government did not allow the Task Force to […]
[ ENGLISH | FRANÇAIS ] RÉPONSE AU DOCUMENT DE TRAVAIL DU GOUVERNEMENT « Vers la légalisation, la réglementation et la restriction de l’accès à la marijuana » Bureau de la sénatrice Betty Unger | 5 octobre 2016 Introduction Au début de l’été, le gouvernement fédéral a publié un document de travail intitulé « Vers la légalisation, […]
[ ENGLISH | FRANÇAIS ] A response to the federal government’s discussion paper: “Toward the Legalization, Regulation and Restriction of Access to Marijuana.” Office of Senator Betty Unger | October 5, 2016 Introduction Earlier this summer, the federal government released a discussion paper entitled, “Toward the Legalization, Regulation and Restriction of Access to Marijuana”.[1] Coinciding […]
The facts on marijuana might surprise you. Check out the top ten myths about marijuana usage and legalization: MYTH #1: Smoking marijuana does not cause cancer FACT: Smoking marijuana significantly increases your risk of lung cancer. In a 40-year retrospective cohort study of 50,000 Swedish male conscripts, regular cannabis smoking was associated with a 2-fold risk […]
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau plans on legalizing marijuana for recreational use in Canada. But is this the right direction for Canada? Are we well-informed on the issue, or are we being misled? Take the following quiz on marijuana and then decide for your self. The Facts on Marijuana Is marijuana harmful? Should it be legalized? […]
Prime Minister Trudeau and the Liberal government have indicated that they intend to legalize marijuana usage. Canadians need to take a hard look at the facts and carefully consider whether this is the right direction to go. The evidence indicates there are many reasons to be concerned about taking this road. Click on the titles […]