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By Zoom!, on May 14, 2013, at 10:07 am
The other day I was on a conference call and we were discussing which tags and keywords should be included in a collaborative online database.
The terms “substance use” and “harm reduction” were both on the list. I suggested we add “addiction.”
Some other people on the call said that we don’t use that term anymore, because it’s considered stigmatizing. Nowadays we prefer the term “substance use.”
I deferred to their expertise and dropped it, but I keep thinking about it. Not about addiction per se, but about how and why language changes. We decide a certain (Read more…)
By Ezra Winton, on December 7, 2012, at 10:19 am
It’s too early in the day for us to watch a documentary on the so-called “war on drugs,” so we’re not actually endorsing this week’s FFP, Breaking the Taboo, which has just been launched for free viewing on YouTube, but it looks like it will be an interesting hour of cinema regardless. Reps from the production company behind the film, Sundog Pictures, have acknowledged the very sad state of affairs for documentaries to reach audiences through television or commercial cinemas, and have instead opted to launch their newest, which is narrated by Morgan Freeman, on their own Youtube channel today.
With the likes of former president Clinton on the interview roster, this could very-well be a giant liberal smokescreen for America’s underwritten, most damaging drug policies (as bravely explored in Gary Webb’s famous Dark Alliance stories, thankfully back online), but we’ll let you be the judge. According . . . → Read More: Art Threat: War on Drugs doc launches for free – Friday Film Pick: Breaking the Taboo
By Adam, on November 30, 2012, at 10:46 am Marijuana has been recently decriminalized in a few states in the USA, and based off of data from California the overall rate of youth arrests will drop dramatically. This is good news because now so many young lives won’t be destroyed for participating in using a drug that has negligible health effects (way less than [...] . . . → Read More: Things Are Good: Marijuana Decriminalization Lowers Youth Crime Rate
By Zoom!, on October 19, 2012, at 11:25 am
Last night I attended a free session at our local mental health facility. It was called Getting the Low Down on Substance Use, and was presented by Michael Coughlin, a registered nurse with the Royal’s Substance Use and Concurrent Disorders program.
I was interested because I have a young friend who uses heroin. He was kicked out of the 28-day program last year for using drugs but he speaks highly of the program and its staff, and says he’ll be back someday. I consider this a very high endorsement.
Coughlin started out by saying that this session was about the
. . . → Read More: knitnut.net: The lowdown on substance use
By Saskboy, on September 23, 2012, at 4:36 pm With the War on Drugs deemed an abject failure, it’s time to focus our security state on some other threat. I propose Office Supplies. The police have a head start, and the Office Supply dealers don’t see it coming.
First staplers, now pens. The War on Office Supplies continues in North America.
By Rob Maguire, on September 9, 2012, at 7:48 pm
Of the 372 film titles listed in the Toronto International Film Festival’s program this year, few are likely to raise more eyebrows than How to Make Money Selling Drugs, a documentary that surprisingly delivers precisely what it promises.
From tiff.net:
Stylishly shot and cheekily framed as a subversive educational film, How to Make Money Selling Drugs takes a satirical look at a serious subject. Blending authentic reportage with pop culture references and a video game — like progression from level to level, the film illustrates step-by-step how to create a drug empire, from dealing on the corner
. . . → Read More: Art Threat: How to Make Money Selling Drugs – Documentary is part how-to video, part indictment of drug policy
By Mystro, on July 26, 2012, at 8:11 am When I was quite young and much more naive than I am today, I was talking to my dad about drugs. We were talking about all the negative health effects of smoking in school, so I told my dad that I thought that it would be a wonderful idea if smoking was made illegal. Within a generation lung, throat, and mouth cancer would be decimated, people all over the planet would be happy, healthy, and less prone to violence. This could save the world!
My dad was quick to point out how I was in error. Drug lords, he said,
. . . → Read More: Dead Wild Roses: Prohibition is Still Failing. Portugal Shows That Decriminalization Works
By Mark A. Rayner, on April 27, 2012, at 7:32 am Dune is an epic science fiction tale about religion, inter-stellar politics, and the awesomeness of riding around on giant worms that crap out the greatest drug ever.* The drug in question is called melange, or spice; in addition to extending … Continue reading →
By The Liberal Scarf, on April 20, 2012, at 2:06 pm Today Young Liberals across the country are taking part in a campaign taking on NDP leader Tom Mulcair for his pro-Harper position on marijuana prohibition. I’m proud to count myself as part of the Ottawa team, putting up posters, handing out information and buttons, and reaching out to the majority of Canadians who believe that continuing the war on marijuana would be a mistake.
The current state of marijuana laws in Canada are hitting taxpayers hard, and Stephen Harper’s tough on wallets crime schemes will only make the situation worse. Hardworking Canadian policemen and policewomen should be working on stopping serious
. . . → Read More: The Liberal Scarf: Young Liberals take strong stand against Mulcair’s pro-Harper, pro-prohibition stance on marijuana
By Zoom!, on April 15, 2012, at 11:59 am
Last October, the Supreme Court ruled that Insite, Vancouver’s safe injection site, could stay open despite the Harper Government’s objections. The arguments hinged on whether addiction was primarily a health issue or a crime issue. If it were a health matter it would fall under provincial jurisdiction; if it were a criminal code issue, it would fall under federal jurisdiction.
When the Supreme Court ruled (unanimously) that Insite could remain open because of the rights of addicts to accessible health care, it opened the door to the possibility of safe injection sites opening in other Canadian cities.
For those of
. . . → Read More: knitnut.net: Safe injection sites: Treating people with addictions like they matter
By Saskboy, on February 9, 2012, at 2:16 pm I don’t care for coffee. I don’t make this a secret, even though I probably should, since non-coffee drinkers are often looked at as some sort of aliens who are probably in league with The Man who makes you get up too darn early. Yes, I like the smell, and the flavour (when mixed with lots of sugar, milk, chocolate, etc.), but would no sooner drink it than I’d light up a joint. I don’t think healthy people should use addictive, mind altering substances and claim it’s a matter of great national pride (alcohol pride is bad enough).
So
. . . → Read More: Saskboy’s Abandoned Stuff: Honey, I Scalded the Kids
By rww, on January 12, 2012, at 12:04 pm There has been lots of discussion about how Stephen Harper’s majority only represents 40% of voters because of the way our electoral system works. But, in reality, his agenda has much fewer supporters.
We must remember that the Conservative Party is a coalition. It is not a coalition in the sense that the proposed Liberal-NDP coalition (with an accord with the BQ) was. That proposed coalition
By Saskboy, on January 11, 2012, at 8:38 am Many people come to my blog to read about things neither of us wish were happening, but they want my opinion about it along with some facts I’ve found. Here’s some news that some people may find very interesting, and it backs up a study I remember reading about years ago.
It should be pointed out that the CBC got the headline wrong, because there is always damage from inhaling any smoke into the lungs, the question is why is there less damage from inhaling marijuana smoke, than cigarette smoke. The article didn’t indicate if the pot smokers have lungs
. . . → Read More: Saskboy’s Abandoned Stuff: Smoking Pot Not As Damaging to Lungs as Cigarettes
By Rev.Paperboy, on November 1, 2011, at 5:43 pm Here are the “high”lights of soon-to-be-former-presidential candidate Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s recent speech in New Hampshire. If you want to sit through the entire addled trainwreck you can watch it here.He doesn’t look sleepy and he isn’t slurring his… . . . → Read More: the woodshed: Rick Parry is not as think as you stoned he is!
By Mark A. Rayner, on October 31, 2011, at 7:00 am Say what you will about Marge and Delia, but they served a mean turkey dinner. Sure they might have been witches. Sure, they tended to use a little too much salt when they were cooking. (Probably from all the dehydrated eye of newt, which is very high in sodium, but they could never seem to [...] . . . → Read More: The Skwib: The Halloween Feast of Madness Bird
By Pulat Yunusov, on October 3, 2011, at 11:10 am I often talk to friends or strangers about law. I remember a debate I had with someone once about the government. Can it make arbitrary decisions? I said yes, and he said, rather indignantly, no. His logic was that arbitrary means capricious with a tinge of tyranny. Doesn’t our democratic government respect the rule of [...]&srcId=http://lawiscool.com/2011/10/03/safe-injection-facilities-and-arbitrary-government-decisions&crtId=148&dt=1317659918) . . . → Read More: Law is Cool: Safe injection facilities and arbitrary government decisions
By Simon, on September 30, 2011, at 11:38 pm I’ve written about Kevin before. The young heroin addict I found shooting up on the door step of the Yale Town apartment I was renting, while taking a summer course in Vancouver.How I felt like I was looking at somebody dying before my eyes. How h… . . . → Read More: Montreal Simon: The Insite Victory and Kevin’s Story
By Ron Brown, on September 5, 2011, at 3:16 pm Work on getting past addictions by setting effective, personally-valued goals, exercising discipline but tolerating lapses, accessing support, finding substitutions, distractions and adaptive strategies, and cultivating mindfulness and insight into emotions and thought.  . . . → Read More: Death By Trolley: Kicking Addictions: Commentary on What It Takes and What Helps
By Saskboy, on September 2, 2011, at 6:32 pm Harper Government: Changing our genes and caffeine. Arnie the Governator was right! There are girly men. Do you know what’s causing them, and causing girls to hit puberty before their parents have time to buy them inappropriate clothing? The Harper Conservatives, the Free Enterprise (Tea Party) Republicans, and the heartless industries poisoning you. Coke and [...] . . . → Read More: Saskboy’s Abandoned Stuff: Girly Men Are The Real Thing!
By Saskboy, on June 23, 2011, at 12:07 am The War on Bugs has not yet been won either. The War on Drugs left a trail of destruction through the property of innocent people I know, today. The RPS caused needless damage in executing a search warrant in American-style imprecision, smashing doors, and terrified innocent bystanders by pointing guns at them, all to go [...] . . . → Read More: Saskboy’s Abandoned Stuff: The War On Drugs
By Bill Longstaff, on June 9, 2011, at 12:58 pm Reports criticizing the War on Drugs are manifold but few carry the cachet of the Report of the Global Commission on Drug Policy. Issued this month, the report commissioners are a uniquely prestigious group that include the former presidents of Brazil,… . . . → Read More: Bill Longstaff: War on drugs busted
By David Eaves, on June 7, 2011, at 12:21 pm This is truly, truly fantastic. If you haven’t already read this stunning story from the Guardian: How a big US bank laundered billions from Mexico’s murderous drug gangs. This is, in essence a chronicle how the dark and sordid side of banking and about how one US bank – Wachovia – essentially allowed Mexican drug [...] . . . → Read More: eaves.ca: How the War on Drugs Destabilized the Global Economy
By Saskboy, on June 3, 2011, at 7:27 pm It’s hard to run a country with everyone squawking in your ear about how you have to be just like them, even if they are failures. The war on drugs is a failure, but Washington is pulling strings in Ottawa and Mexico, and even London too. – If the Pentagon is now taking acts of [...] . . . → Read More: Saskboy’s Abandoned Stuff: War on Drugs
By bazie, on April 14, 2011, at 7:07 pm Obama’s recently announced deficit reduction proposal includes the reduction in patent lengths for brand name pharmaceutical drugs from 20 to 7 years. Let us step back and consider the case for such patents and how we might determine an optimal time le… . . . → Read More: Progressive Proselytizing: Pharmaceutical Patent Lengths
By Baron von Tollbooth, on December 9, 2010, at 10:02 pm The party faithful thought they were attending another fat white guy Christmas party, but little did they know what was in store. Head Tory Cowboy Steve, backed by a crackerjack punk band he hired earlier in the day, entertained his ministers and staff with a rousing five-song set in Ottawa Wednesday evening.
Steve and the band opened with their cover of ChixdiggiT’s iconic “I Wanna Hump You”, followed by the NoFX favourite “We Threw Gasoline On The Fire And Now We Have Stumps For Arms And No Eyebrows”. Cowboy Steve then paid tribute to John Lennon on the anniversary of the fallen Beatle’s death with a heartfelt rendition of the classic singalong “Revolution 9″.
He closed with his version of the Vegas DeMilo feelgood seasonal number “Sex Toys for Christmas”. Brought back for an encore, the band bid goodnight with Puscifer’s “Drunk With Power”. By all accounts, the enthusiastic crowd went home satisfied.
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| Party Boy entertains the Conservative Caucus |
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. . . → Read More: It’s Cowboy Steve: Prime Minister hits caucus with his rhythm stick
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