cannabis

Saturday May 24, 2024

Doug Ford's steadfast opposition to drug decriminalization, despite his past involvement in illicit activities, raises questions about the consistency and sincerity of his stance on drug policy.

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday May 24, 2024

Ford’s War on Drugs: Personal Past vs. Political Present

Young Doug Ford: The Series

Six years after Doug Ford first pledged to help those struggling with addictions, his opposition to drug decriminalization remains steadfast, echoing a rhetoric of law and order. Yet, as the Premier of Ontario, his stance on drug policy is riddled with irony and contradiction. The recent rejection of Toronto’s bid to decriminalize drugs by the federal government, coupled with Ford’s history of involvement in illicit activities and his brother Rob’s well-documented struggles with substance abuse, raises questions about the authenticity of his opposition and the underlying motivations behind it.

In the eyes of many, Ford’s vocal opposition to drug decriminalization stands in stark contrast to his own experiences and those of his family. The Toronto Star’s editorial rightly points out the irony of Ford’s stance, highlighting his brother Rob’s public battles with addiction, including his infamous admission of using crack cocaine while serving as Toronto’s mayor. It begs the question: how can Ford, with a personal history intertwined with drugs, justify his opposition to policies aimed at mitigating the harms of addiction?

Editorial: We’ll all lose if Doug Ford wages a war on drugs

February 18, 2021

Ford’s opposition to drug decriminalization can be seen as a calculated move to appeal to his conservative base. As the editorial notes, his bellicose rhetoric against decriminalization resonates with constituents who prioritize public safety and order. By positioning himself as tough on crime, Ford solidifies his support among conservatives, even if it means perpetuating policies that contradict his own experiences and the evidence supporting harm reduction strategies.

Despite his vocal opposition to decriminalization, Ford has expressed support for addiction treatment and selective harm reduction measures, such as supervised consumption sites. This selective endorsement, as highlighted by the Toronto Star, indicates a nuanced understanding of the issue. However, it also raises questions about the sincerity of Ford’s opposition to broader decriminalization efforts and whether his support for certain harm reduction measures is merely lip service to appease critics.

January 23, 2014

In light of Ford’s history and his family’s struggles with addiction, there is a pressing need for accountability. As the Toronto Star editorial rightly argues, politicians like Ford, who espouse tough drug policies while having personal connections to drug-related activities, must be held accountable for their actions and beliefs. Transparency and consistency in political leadership are essential, especially when it comes to sensitive issues like drug policy that directly impact public health and safety.

The controversy surrounding Premier Doug Ford's preference for appointing "like-minded" judges, coupled with a significant majority of judicial appointments going to former prosecutors, continues to persist, prompting a call for dialogue from lawyers' associations concerned about the potential impact on judicial independence in Ontario.

March 14, 2024

In the complex landscape of drug policy, Doug Ford’s stance on decriminalization raises significant questions about authenticity, consistency, and accountability. His opposition, while playing to his conservative base, stands in stark contrast to his personal history and the evidence supporting harm reduction strategies. As Ontario’s Premier, Ford must reconcile his political posturing with the realities of addiction and the need for compassionate, evidence-based solutions. Failure to do so undermines not only his credibility but also the well-being of those struggling with addiction across the province. (AI)

From sketch to finish, see the current way Graeme completes an editorial cartoon using an iPencil, the Procreate app, a CapCut app, and a couple of cheats on an iPad Pro. If you’re creative, give illustration a try:

 

Tuesday December 3, 2019

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Tuesday December 3, 2019

Ottawa must lead on e-cigarette regulation reform

It’s time for the federal government to get over its timidity around regulating the vaping industry.

It is no longer acceptable to take a cautious approach. That evidence is now in, and it shows that vaping can lead to serious lung disorders, and more frequent users are at greater risk.

October 5, 2018

That would be bad enough if the risk was largely to the original vaping audience — adults using e-cigarettes to reduce or stop consuming combustible tobacco products. The risk for reforming smokers is real, but vaping remains preferable to continuing to smoke tobacco and inhaling the related toxins.

But the growth isn’t among adult smokers. Vaping rates among that group are stable. It’s among kids, most of whom start vaping not to quit tobacco but because it’s considered cool. One health survey of 75,000 Canadian students in Grades 9 to 12 asked about reasons for vaping. Only 4 per cent of e-cigarette users said they used them to quit smoking, another 4 per cent said they used vaping to reduce cigarette consumption — and 73 per cent said they used out of “curiosity” or “to try something new.”

This is not what Canadian health authorities had in mind, although it’s good news for vaping companies, many of which are affiliated with or outrighted owned by Big Tobacco companies. Vaping defenders argue companies are not “targeting” young consumers, but we’ve heard that line, before it was illegal for Big Tobacco to market its products to vulnerable kids.

In any case, whether Big Vape is intentionally targeting kids or not doesn’t matter as much as the reality — more and more kids are starting on e-cigarettes and getting addicted to nicotine. Modern vape devices are sophisticated and efficient tools with which to deliver nicotine to the body.

Health Canada is now officially warning about the health risks involved with vaping. Some provinces are taking action. Ontario recently moved to ban e-cigarette advertising in convenience stores. It’s a half measure at best, but it’s something.

But the federal government, for some reason, continues to drag its feet. Now, with the new minority government settling in and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau thinking about the mandate letters (marching orders, if you prefer) he will be handing over to his ministers, is an ideal time to get very serious about regulation.

An example: Legal marijuana products have to carry ingredient information. Vape products don’t. That makes no sense. Also, the piecemeal approach now in place around marketing needs to evolve into a national strategy. No exceptions, no loopholes: E-cigarettes and affiliated products must never be marketed to minors, and if they are, penalties need to be stiff, public and consistent. The government should also consider lowering nicotine limits in vape products. In Britain, where e-cigarettes have a track record in reducing adult smoking, nicotine limits are lower than for North American markets.

Some argue an outright ban is justifiable under the circumstances. We disagree. A ban has a certain appeal, but it’s a safe bet any attempted ban would lead to a black market for vaping products. That would lead to even less control and more risk for vulnerable consumers.

E-cigarettes remain a viable option for those who smoke traditional tobacco products. There’s no need to overregulate that part of the market. But when it comes to nicotine addiction among young consumers, we’re losing the battle. The federal government will have no trouble finding allies to pass thoughtful and forceful new regulatory measures — the NDP and Greens, at minimum, would be supportive.

Time to get moving before this problem escalates further. (Hamilton Spectator) 

 

Friday October 26, 2018

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday October 26, 2018

Ontario Cannabis Store mum on backup delivery plan amid Canada Post strikes

October 17, 2018

As Canada Post strikes continue, the Ontario Cannabis Store is refusing to say when it will implement a so-called “contingency plan” to get pot to consumers.

That’s despite hundreds of people complaining online that their orders have been stalled or cancelled altogether in the week since legalization.

Cannabis became legal in Canada on Oct. 17 with provinces and territories launching a range of models using either retail or online stores, or both.

In Ontario, private stores will not open until April 2019 and in the meantime, the Ontario Cannabis Store is the only legal retailer for cannabis in the province.

September 15, 2016

But in the week since legalization, hundreds of Ontario consumers have taken to social media to complain the online retailer has failed to meet its promised one- to three-day delivery window, cancelled orders without notice and is failing to give any information to consumers about how they plan to deal with the ongoing Canada Post strike.

And as of Wednesday, its customer service hotline is also out of service “due to circumstances beyond our control.”

In a statement released Tuesday afternoon, the Ontario Cannabis Store said it has processed 100,000 orders so far.

That’s roughly the same amount it had previously said had been placed by consumers over the first 24 hours of legalization. (Source: Global News) 

 

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Thursday October 18, 2018

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday October 18, 2018

Liberal government to waive fee, waiting time for pot pardons

The Liberal government will waive the fee and waiting period for Canadians seeking a pardon for a past conviction for simple pot possession.

March 7, 2013

Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale announced today that the government intends to table legislation to expedite the pardon process for those with a criminal record for pot.

The fee for normal record suspensions is $631. The waiting period to apply is usually five years for a summary offence or 10 years for an indictable offence.

Goodale said it will “shed the burden and stigma” and break down barriers to jobs, education, housing or volunteer work.

But he could not give a timeframe for when someone could apply and obtain a pardon, noting that the “critical point” is getting the legislation tabled and passed in Parliament.

September 28, 2012

He said legalization represents a “fundamental transformation” of a legal regime that’s been in place for over a century.

“That is not a singular event. That is a process,” he said.

A record suspension does not erase the fact that you were convicted of a crime, but keeps the record separate and apart from other criminal records.

The NDP is calling for the expungement of criminal records, which would erase the criminal conviction entirely.

NDP Justice critic Murray Rankin called the pardon plan a “half-baked measure” that won’t remove the existing barriers the criminal record presents for travel, housing or volunteering. People who are asked on a form if they have a criminal conviction will still be required to answer “yes.”

“If you call that an expungement, then you will completely solve the problem that I think will, continue to exist,” he said.

Goodale said the government did not adopt that approach, because it is for cases where there has been a “profound historical injustice,” such as when a charter right was violated. (Source: CBC)  

 

Wednesday October 17, 2018

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday October 17, 2018

Canada becomes second country to legalise recreational marijuana

The nationwide market for cannabis opened Wednesday at midnight amid lingering questions about the impact on health, the law and public safety.

Preparations included mailings to 15m households detailing the new cannabis laws and public awareness campaigns.

But there remain concerns, including about the readiness for police forces to tackle drug impaired driving.

Canadian provinces and municipalities have been preparing for months for the end of cannabis prohibition.

Provinces and territories are responsible for setting out many of the details for where cannabis can be bought and consumed within their jurisdictions. 

This has created a patchwork of legislation across the country as jurisdictions choose more or less restrictive frameworks for selling and using cannabis.

Shops in the province of Newfoundland, the most easterly time zone in Canada, opened as midnight struck for the first legal sales of cannabis in the country.

There remain unanswered questions on some key issues around how legal cannabis will work in Canada.

A number of analysts are predicting a shortage of recreational marijuana in the first year of legalisation as production and licensing continues to ramp up to meet demand.

And the marketplace itself is still in its infancy.

Ontario, Canada’s most populous province, will only begin opening retail stores next spring, though residents will be able to order cannabis online.

British Columbia, one of the provinces with the highest rates of cannabis use, will only have one legal store open on Wednesday.

Until retail locations are more widely available, some unlicensed cannabis retailers, which have flourished in the years since the law was first proposed, may stay open.

It is unclear if police will crack down on them immediately, or if they will turn a blind eye. (Source: BBC News)