North America is in a state of crisis. Opioid addiction is rampant throughout the entire country, with recent data from the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) finding that more than 10,000 Canadians have died from opioid overdoses over the period of 2016-2018. In trying to deal with this worsening crisis Canadian doctors, health providers … Continued
Continue ReadingThe Government of Canada has recently announced it will fund $5.4 million over five years to support frontline law enforcement officers to combat drug-impaired driving in Saskatchewan. According to a news release by the federal government, funding is aimed to ‘increase capacity among frontline police officers in Standardized Field Sobriety Testing (SFST) and Drug Recognition … Continued
Continue ReadingIn recent years the number of opioid-related overdoses in Yukon, the Northwest Territories, and Nunavut has continued to rise, despite their small populations. A recent article published by Vice Canada has examined the growing drug problem in Canada’s territories. “A significant portion of criminal activity is largely driven by the sale of illicit drugs, which … Continued
Continue ReadingAn Oklahoma judge has ordered Johnson & Johnson to pay $572 million to the state of Oklahoma after determining that the company and its subsidiaries contributed to fuelling its opioid drug crisis. The ruling was made by Cleveland County District Judge Thad Balkman and determined that Johnson & Johnson deceptively marketed addictive painkillers. According to lawyers … Continued
Continue ReadingAccording to the results of a new pilot study Canadians’ drug habits significantly vary from coast to coast. The study examined wastewater from five Canadian cities for the presence of cannabis and other illegal substances such as methamphetamine and cocaine. The results revealed that out of the five cities reviewed the highest consumption of cannabis … Continued
Continue ReadingA new study recently published in the scientific journal, Addiction, demonstrates that without harm reduction efforts the death toll from drug-related causes would have been more than double. The study, which was led by the B.C. Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC), found that between April 2016 and December 2017 there were 2,177 people killed by … Continued
Continue ReadingA new drug testing machine used to identify potentially deadly drugs was evaluated in a brief trial at an overdose prevention site in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside earlier in August. The machine uses a technique called paper spray mass spectrometry and can evaluate the presence of trace amounts of illicit drugs, as well as contaminants in … Continued
Continue ReadingIn Edmonton, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of drug tests conducted at the police station since the legalization of cannabis. In fact, Edmonton police are currently conducting more than 10 times the number of drug-impaired driving investigations compared to the previous several years. However, according to the police force, this spike … Continued
Continue ReadingIn recent years, drug and alcohol testing has emerged as one of the most contentious issues in Canadian employment and labour law. Drew Demerse, lawyer and partner at Roper Greyell LLP, a workplace law practice based in Vancouver, B.C., has discussed two recent arbitration decisions demonstrating that employers can be accountable for making reasoned decisions … Continued
Continue ReadingA new online application system has enabled Canadians to apply for pardons for simple cannabis possession convictions through the Parole Board of Canada’s website. However, having a pardon can make border crossing into the U.S. more difficult. Justice Minister David Lametti revealed the new online application system in July with the aim to “remove barriers … Continued
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