Cannabis Front and Centre for UBCM
Prince George, B.C.- When the Union of B.C. Municipalities delegates gather in September for their annual convention, they will be asked to endorse a special resolution that pertains to cannabis.
The UBCM will be presenting a special resolution calling for more direct involvement for municipalities that will have to deal with issues that emerge in the wake of legalization.
The federal government intends to legalize cannabis by July of next year, but the UBCM says there has been little consultation with local governments on the development and implementation of a BC framework for dealing with the changes.
Lack of consultation on this matter is an issue says UBCM President Murry Krause “Local governments are quite concerned, the deadline is approaching , we don’t know what local governments’ responsibility is going to be. So it really is about hoping we will hear more substantive information from the Federal Government.”
Krause says the Province may not have all the information it needs either “So as this rolls down hill, the Province should have time to review it (legislation) in detail, then will be having conversations with local government’s on how we ( communities) manage it.”.
In its resolution the UBCM says it is likely “that a substantial portion of the regulatory burden and associated costs—for example, in the areas of compliance and enforcement—will fall on local government.”
With that in mind, the resolution calls for:
• fulsome and meaningful provincial consultation with local governments;
• provision of adequate provincial funding to cover any responsibilities and increase in administrative burden of any provincial framework that requires local government participation;
• equitable sharing of tax revenues from cannabis between all orders of government; and
• respect for local choice, jurisdiction and authority, including but not limited to land use and zoning decisions.
The resolution will be the first to be dealt with when the convention gets down to business on the 27th of September.
Comments
The legalization of Cannabis will create all sorts of problems for Municipalities and citizens of this Country.
We already have enough problems with alcohol and drugs, and we have enough people dying in the streets. Seems that society cannot solve these problems, but will rush ahead and add other problems to the mix, by legalizing Cannabis.
Naturally they use the old argument that this will take this drug out of the hands of criminals, however what about the other illegal drugs.
Furthermore this is as much about Government collecting taxes than it is about looking after the welfare of drug users. We are now going to be faced with the stink of Mary J all over town, its bad enough now when its illegal.
Totally agree, Palopu. The overall cost of dealing with all the increased problems legalisation will cause will far exceed the additional tax revenues taken in. And what’s next?
What about the reduction in court time/costs.. approx 40% of all court cases in Canada deal with pot chargers.
As for your ignorant statement of the increased problems with legislation. Look to the states that have legalized it. Making millions and millions off it.. way more than enough to cover the few problems.
What are the problems you see rising with the legalization?
Totally agree…but the genie is out of the bottle now.
Very well put Palopu, the legalization of Cannabis is just crazy. The medical field knows and warns politicians and educators that Cannabis can trigger schizophrenia, particularly in our youth, the major users of such. So whatever tax dollars we get will only be put back to treat schizophrenia and other social ills associated with such use.
That’s just refer madness talk. I call BS on the idea that cannabis is a precursor to mental illness. I think some with mental illness are attracted to cannabis, so as to use it as a crutch to blame their mental illness on.
I know old guys that have smoked the stuff their entire lives and are just as sharp and witty as anyone that has never smoked it before. I don’t buy the refer madness meme’s.
I know some old folks who have smoked cigarettes all their lives and are healthy. I also knew some who smoked and who died from lung cancer. So whats your point.
“I think some with mental illness are attracted to cannabis, so as to use it as a crutch to blame their mental illness on.”
How ridiculous🤦♂️
“We already have enough problems with alcohol and drugs, and we have enough people dying in the streets.”
“So whatever tax dollars we get will only be put back to treat schizophrenia and other social ills associated with such use.”
Let the power of paranoia run wild over you. Who is going to be dying in the streets? Why do people time and time again assume that marijuana usage will spike dramatically when the substance is legalized?
Marijuana use is widely occurring already, and all those users who have become schizophrenic are already a burden on the system. There will be little to no additional cost. That’s if you actually believe this. For every study that claims this, there are others that refute it. We know that alcohol kills consumers. It also leads to impairment that kills others. We blissfully allow it to be consumed legally.
Find one case where marijuana and marijuana alone killed someone. A marijuana overdose if you will. The sky won’t fall on July 1st, 2018. You likely won’t notice any difference at all. Marijuana users are already among us.
“Marijuana users are already among us.”
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Yes, they are. And so are the users of other drugs. But keeping these substances illegal provides a means of discouraging their sale and use. When you legalise them you’re tacitly, if not openly promoting their sale and use. Big difference.
Tobacco is a legal but controlled substance, and it’s use dropped significantly in Canada from 2001-2008. There was a slight up-tick in 2009, then started to decline again through 2015 (last record published).
Cigarettes are legal and somehow it’s being discouraged of it’s use quite well I would say, without threatening jail time for possession. Education in discouragement is cheaper than clogging up the court systems, and more effective.
“And so are the users of other drugs. But keeping these substances illegal provides a means of discouraging their sale and use.” Other drugs, like say, alcohol? Should we go back to prohibition, as alcohol has & will continue to do far more damage, from mental & physical health to societal ills, than pot ever has or will. Matt P is correct, those who use will continue to, I doubt legalization will increase use in any significant long term manner. Legalizing pot is just a formallity that will bring revenues to our government coffers.
Saying all that I think alcohol on a whole causes even more issues and impact on society that Cannabis will. At least it will be regulated and taxed much like smokes and alcohol. This is not going to go away just to much money to be made from it.
Legalizing cannabis is crazy is it? Look up more than one test Cheetos..
The medical field has long known the medical benefits of pot..but why still illegal ?
It’s all about money.. the gov wants to get there cut.. if you would look into how much the states who legalized it make off it then your would see how much it will bring in.. also how many people who smoke dope actually show signs of schizophrenia? The studies show that some schizophrenics did smoke pot, but they also consumed caffeine as well along as many other possible triggers of schizophrenia .
So to me the studies show that.. if your family is prone to being schizophrenic.. then there are numerous possible causes if you do get it.. depends what n what you want funding for and how it’s presented..
In Colorado cannabis use amoung youth actually declined after legalization and their major crime rate dropped substantially. That is the real world facts on the impacts of legalization.
I think alcohol is far worse a drug than cannabis on society by every measure from violence, to health, to lost productivity, to adverse impacts on others.
I also think cannabis is a great substitute for the pharmicuticle industry for any number of ailments, but they can’t patent cannabis so they smear it with refer madness… thus the public is dependent on patented pharmicuticle drugs like oxytocin that kill in the hundreds in BC alone making billions for its evil pushers that hide behind their credentials.
Legalizing cannabis will be beneficial to society IMO. If we want to tackle drugs that harm society we should be talking about criminalizing the opioid pushers in the medical community.
Take a drive people downtown of your own city. Start at Queensway and then turn onto second avenue, drive along George street and up 3rd. We have people sleeping under whatever shelter they can find, in door ways, etc.. and then take a walk in some alleys and behind certain buildings and you will find used needles and other drug equipment (not a coincidence but the effects of drugs in both cases as per above). We have a serious problem with drug use. How is legalizing Cannabis going to help with this? As mentioned earlier the medical field warns that they have scientific evidence that Cannabis taken among our youth will create mental illnesses such as schizophrenia. There was a good letter written in the local paper yesterday from a lady in Vancouver regarding the dangers of Marijuana use and fatalities associated with it. Between 2000 and 2010 – 20485 drivers died in motor vehicle crashes, of the drivers who died within six hours of the crash, 33.7 per cent tested positive for one or more psychoactive drugs and of that 16.6 percent were positive for cannabis which works out to 45.4 per cent of all drug positive cases. The BC Coroner reports that one third of all fatalities in the forest sector are attributed to cannabis use. This isn’t hype my friends, it’s facts. So how is the legalizing of Pot going to help build a better society? It won’t but rather continue the down ward spiral to disorder and decay!
You’re really saying pot has caused everything you described above? Utter bs.
Then have another drag and refute the information with facts. Don’t get distracted by the potato chips.
Hi Cheetos. I will bet you any amount of money you want, that ZERO of the unfortunate people who were downtown yesterday were high on the pot. I will bet a similar amount of money that at some point yesterday you had an interaction with a professional (at least one) that regularly uses marijuana. Please stop lumping every drug together as if they are all the same.
As for that “good letter” you refer to, Pamela McColl is a well known fear mongering anti-marijuana crusader. She has been proven wrong in public over and over again, made to look foolish really. The stats you quote from her letter came with no sources, and the math provided doesn’t even add up properly. The marijuana and schizophrenia link has been disproved numerous times. There have been a few studies that found a link, that’s fair. Those studies are in regards to marijuana use as an adolescent. No proof has been found linking adult use to mental illness. Go ahead and fall into her trap of you want, but please stop spreading her propaganda.
Dear leader just grubbing for votes. He will wave his magic wand to legalize leaving provinces, cities towns authorities to deal with the mess.
I have seen people change for the worse after a lifetime of pot smoking.
Every work place should have random unannounced drug alcohol testing. For those against they are the problem.
And test for all the legal prescription drugs that have an effect on people mental awareness.. far more people stoned on prescription drugs everyday at work than with booze or pot combined.
I have yet to see anyone I would call a chronic pot head have a worsening life.. they just have limited drive is all. I have seen hundreds ruin their lives and hurt their families from alcohol. Yes the true gateway drug..
Ask a cop how many domestic abuse cases are pot related.. then ask about alcohol related.
As for Trudeau grubbing for votes… any excuse to hate Trudeau I see.
We pay huge taxes..the influx of taxes from pot can only help.. the holier than thoughts will preach about the cost of dealing with pot heads.. what costs? There are no overdoses, nobody blacks out, no violence when baked.. etc etc
Now booze, spousal abuse, brain damage, blackouts, puking, liver decease, kidney desease.. and the pollution created.. yikes… good thing it’s legal.
Go jump in the lake.
Nice response :)
Oxymoron: Responsible pot smoker.
Nonsense. Utter nonsense. If all marijuana users sat on the couch doing nothing but eating, the entire economy would fall apart.
I can’t figure out why non-smokers and/or anti-marijuana types believe that they can spot a pot smoker a mile away. You simply can’t.
If a smoker regularly washes, brushes their teeth, and changes their clothes, you would never smell it. The odor does not stick to clothing the way tobacco smell does.
I know people who smoke pot before doing chores, before going for a run, before taking their kids to the park, etc. Some how, some way, they manage to do it. The stereotypical image of the pot smoker needs to go away.
Gold medal for most ill informed statement of all times..
I work with people who are recreational pot users.. they all easily clear 6 figures.. have great family and lives..but would rather smoke a joint then drink.. and soon that choice will be legal to make.
They are excellent employees.. our biggest problem is with drinkers..
Hope they are not driving or operating machinery.
Exactly.
Everyone is always doing something illegal in your mind hey seamutt. What’s with that?
Legalization is likely to cause very little if any increase in usage. Other states/countries have done this already. The biggest difference is that we will now be able to better quantify and have open discourse about the issue. We as society are already paying a cost – now that will be partially addressed by taxation.
Some odd numbers from posters above who seem to be pretty bad at math. Maybe its just a typo, but I would like to see sources for some of those numbers.
I am not convinced that homelessness is caused by cannabis. Anyone claiming that perhaps could provide a reputable source, other than “drive down the road”. Opioid addiction, untreated mental illness, alcoholism may have some contributions though.
Never has prohibition worked for anything, our current system is a bit broken if you ask me. These conversations are a step in the right direction, but apparently some are a bit stuck in their old “hippy-hating” conservative values.
It is I think not disputed that in young people a variety of negative effects can occur, so it is important to have these conversations so that we can identify and mitigate problems.
To me the problem seems to be obvious. Some people seem unable to get through the day or week without some sort of mood altering drug. Whether it be alcohol, over the counter drugs, or pot. Why is that??
Live their life then have an informed opinion. Not making excuses.. just letting you know there is not just one reason to drink, smoke pot, get prescription drugs etc.. but you just lump them all into druggies if that helps your position.
What all you anti pot people need to do is Volunteer to help wayward people. Actually find out about them, see how they wound up where they are.. then you will see all walks of life are affected…rich to poor..
Then ask any of them if they are there due to pot… then ask about alcohol.. you will learn something. Knowledge is never a bad thing.. so don’t be scared of it.
Like Palopu said why cannot some people get through a day or week without some mood altering drug. Answer that?
Cannabis isnt a mood altering drug. I know guys with medicinal licenses to smoke and they smoke it to relieve pain. There are literally hundreds on strains each with its own medicinal effects, some have little to no effect on mood, just stops the feeling of pain without the serious life altering effects of pharmicuticle prescriptions like opiods that will kill anyone within five years and makes pain management worse the longer they are on them.
I know a guy with MS that was finished as a human being, almost a vegetable with his perscriptions… switched to cannabis and got some of his life back joining the world of the living again.
With cannabis illegal we will never know which strains will help people because there is no access to quality controlled production and each time a patient makes a purchase the product is different… who knows what it can be contaminated with from pesticides, to fentinal, to just plain having a gamble on strains with a wide variety of effects.
Like I said before.. ask them… I know some smoke pot to combat being bi-polar… anxiety.. I know lots of people on prescribed anti depressants.. some from abuse, some stress.. for all different reasons..
Seamutt.. you seem to have the answers… why do some people need mind altering drugs?
Hi MattP, just about every week I see someone stoned in the areas I mentioned in a previous post. I don’t know what they are on, but you are right, it’s unfortunate and may I add pathetic. But where did it start, maybe it was from Cannabis. I know people who were doing Pot in high-school and 40 years later they are addicted to harder drugs. They have nothing, they have grown old and frail before their time. Pot is just one more vice to destroy people, your successful business friends will be doing harder drugs down the line, get them help.
Pot is a vice that destroys people? Lmao, you’re from another planet right?
You are blind to the facts.
I’d suggest that it’s their personality or other factors. Perhaps they had an addictive personality. Perhaps they has low drive or self esteem. Perhaps they had mental health issues. I don’t think you can conclude that the pot is the driver for their situation. Correlation does not mean causation.
Doesn’t help.
Neither does cream soda. What’s your point?
Like Palopu said why cannot some people get through a day or week without some mood altering drug. Answer that?
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I’d say they are either addicted, or they enjoy the activity so much that they just choose to do it. Could be the same as gambling, reading, knitting, watching TV, playing golf, etc.
What’s it have to do with legalizing pot? Do you honestly think people who don’t already use pot regularly are going to start when it becomes legal? My disdain for beer didn’t change when I turned 19, isn’t it the same thing?
The brainwashed among us will just never get it NMG.
Yep just look in the mirror.
Dear leader just wants everyone stoned so they will loose the ability to reason and see how incompetent he is. Hey look a selfie.
The brainwashed among us will just never get it NMG.
If I had pain like some of my friends do, what would I choose, a painkiller or Marijuana? I’d pick Marijuana. Can’t stand painkillers, they lead to addiction. Yah, okay, some folks get addicted to M too.
I’m just so grateful that caffeine hasn’t been made illegal . Running out of coffee could be lethal . Ahh , my drug of choice , Black , Unsweetened Mellita coffee . And let’s not even get into chocolate , coffees evil twin .
You can tell by the logic of the comments who the dope smokers are
A number of people who post here use Colorado as an example how the use of cannabis is such a success. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment did a survey of Marijuana use.
1. Men are more likely to currently use.
2. Current use decreases with age. Young adults are 10 times more likely to use as older adults.
3. Current use is lower among adults with some college education.
4. Current use is higher among adults with lower household income. $25000.00 19.8%
$25,000.00 – $50,000.00 12.3% $50,000.00 + 11.1%.
5. Current use by race. 1 black, 2 white, 3 hispanic 4 other.
6. GLB adults are much more likely to currently use.
This survey has much more interesting information.
Look it up and enjoy.
33.2% of users use daily. 18.8% said they drove after using.
Legalizing marijuana will cause zero problems. But will solve quite a few and add to tax revenues. You people are old fashioned and ridiculous. Go smoke a joint and chill out.
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