News

CHARLESTON - Delegate Mike Manypenny is convinced the Lord put marijuana in his grand scheme of creation to provide mankind with a measure of relief from chronic pain.

Peel Region Police say they are conducting an internal investigation after a judge's damning words about the "reprehensible" conduct of members of their drug squad. But critics are skeptical anything will be done.

MONTREAL - The city of Montreal opposes the location, and area residents are concerned it will add to the number of people seeking help for addiction. But the man in charge of Cactus, which has run a free needle exchange since 1989, says locating a supervised injection site (SIS) at the Sanguinet St. community centre is a logical choice.

Edmonton police are warning the public after four ecstasy-related overdoses last month at an electronic music concert.

Opinions

Smoking marijuana is "moderately effective in treating nausea and vomiting, appetite loss, and acute and chronic pain," says the National Center for Biotechnology Information. Sixteen states have bought into the argument that marijuana should be legalized for medical purposes, and Connecticut may be next.

Florida lawmakers have once again floated a budget proposal that seeks to cut adult substance-abuse treatment by about 25 percent.

Passing the Buck The Harper government has deftly taken the credit for its new tough-on-crime legislation and then just as defty -- but unfairly -- pushed a large chunk of the costs onto the backs of the provinces.

Whether or Not Diaz Smoked Up During Fight Week Shouldn't Matter Here's a highly unpopular opinion.

Letters

Letter writer Lou Spakowski (Views badly flawed, Feb. 2) is mistaken to think that the drug-prohibition laws are stopping people who want to use drugs from doing so. Prohibition stopped few people from having a drink when alcohol was prohibited. What makes anyone think the prohibition law stops drug users today?

I read in your paper an opinion about how terrible it was to have medical marijuana in California. Medical marijuana has been a godsend for sick, old, hurt and dying people in my state.

Editor: I will open with a quote from Albert Einstein: "The difference between genius and stupidity is genius has its limits."

Drug testing is useless except as a money making scheme. Peter Bensinger, former head of the Drug Enforcement Administration, and former drug czars Robert L. Dupont and Carlton Turner shamelessly promoted drug testing as the solution to drug problems while they held office. Bensinger, Dupont & Associates is now the world's largest drug testing company. This group formed by these big drug warriors is reaping a fortune on the drug testing laws they wrote.

Re: "Drug test needed to get benefits - Unemployed should always be ready to return to work, says Bill Hammond," Tuesday Viewpoints.

My sincerest condolences to the family of Ogden police Officer Jared Francom, who was killed in the line of duty on Jan. 3. The officers were just doing their job in executing issued warrants.

To The Editor: Isn't the "War on Drugs" out of control? A teenager just lost his life over a bag of weed! A bag of weed, for chrissake! Weed isn't even a drug!