Canada Legalization

Marijuana derivative 'shatter' poses risks, policy challenges




It's been called "marijuana on steroids."

And it comes with a THC concentration far beyond anything a run-of-the-mill joint would offer.

With that potency, along with the dangers from its production, shatter is offering police and policy makers a new set of challenges, perhaps particularly as the federal government moves toward legalizing marijuana.

"It's the highly variable [tetrahydrocannabinol] concentration that you see where a lot of people get into dangers," says Matthew Young, a senior research and policy analyst at the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse.

"They don't really know how much they're taking. Without knowing how much they're taking, they do
n't necessarily know the effects it's going to have on their mind and body."

Strong marijuana derivatives like shatter are nothing new. But shatter has been drawing more public and police attention in recent months because of the potential for explosion as it is made, using the volatile solvent butane to extract the THC from the marijuana "shake" or plant leftovers.

"The risks and the hazards related to the production of shatter are as high if not higher than a methamphetamine lab because of the amount of solvents that's being used," says Luc Chicoine, the RCMP's national drug program co-ordinator.

"Those solvents go in the air. Often it's being done in residences and in enclosed areas, and then you're increasing the risk for explosion."

Hard to get the numbers
Tracking shatter - which can have a consistency like hard caramel or peanut brittle - across Canada is not that easy. Police reports don't necessarily break out shatter separately from other forms of marijuana, although news releases sometimes mention its seizure.

"Typically shatter won't be found by itself," says Mike Serr, deputy chief constable of the Abbotsford Police Department and chair of the drug abuse committee for the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police.

While shatter has been turning up in police reports across the country, it has emerged in particular in B.C.
Going back to 2013, police have come across seven marijuana oil extraction labs in the Lower Mainland. Six of those discoveries were the result of an explosion, says Serr, In most cases, there was at least one person injured. In one instance, it led to a death.

Serr sees several reasons for the increasing attention being paid to shatter.
https://ca.news.yahoo.com/marijuana-derivative-sha...


The attention and concern is good imo, 'shatter' can be made safely but when its still considered illegal the producers need to stay under the rader, ultimately forces them to cut corners. I hope the Canadian government takes a serious look at this situation before they start legalizing, just one more hurdle to overcome.

 

Ex-police chief Bill Blair to handle Liberals' pot legalization file




As the Liberal government gets to work on its campaign pledge to legalize marijuana, the former police chief of Toronto will be taking a lead role.

Last month, Bill Blair was named as one of two parliamentary secretaries to the minister of justice. Sources tell CBC News he's been assigned to handle the pot file.

Bill Blair 'ideal person' to work on pot legalization plan, says John Tory

Dana Larsen, pot activist, sends weed to Liberal MPs in legalization push

Legalizing pot in Canada will run afoul of global treaties, Trudeau warned

Blair's new role fits with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's attempts to frame the issue during the election campaign.

The Conservatives tried to use Trudeau's legalization stance to paint him as a lightweight or even dangerous, with last-minute ads in Punjabi and Chinese newspapers suggesting Trudeau supported selling marijuana to children.

In contrast, Trudeau pitched marijuana legalization as a way of protecting children and stopping criminals.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/bill-blair-liberal...


Now we are making some progress.

 

Inflation man. Everything was cheaper back then, my grandparents bought there house for $12,000 back in the day.


To be fair what other dried herb possesses such great benefits and effects?

 

Federally funded agency tours Canada to warn youth about marijuana




The federally funded agency that studies addiction is embarking on a four city tour to warn about the effects of marijuana on young people.

The Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse opens the tour in Halifax today with a panel of three experts.
Dr. Amy Porath-Waller, the centre"s director of research and policy, says the aim is to get a conversation started on how to protect those under 25.

She says research indicates the risks are greater for younger people who use marijuana because their brains are still in development.

And while there are gaps in areas of the research, Porath-Waller says there is evidence of emerging trends such as the risk of addiction.

She says the idea of the panel presentations is to engage those dealing with youth including doctors, teachers, guidance counsellors and parents.

Future panel discussions are to be held next month in Toronto, Vancouver and Ottawa.


http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/feder...


Its fine they put up a fight but at the least they shouldn't lie to the kids. Great seeing my tax dollars fueling a never ending fire. These kinds of campaigns should be a self raised fundraiser, funded by the people who believe in it.

 

Marijuana must be regulated quickly to protect kids, Conservatives say




The Liberal federal government is facing pressure from an unlikely source to quickly legalize and regulate the sale of recreational marijuana: the Conservative Party of Canada.

At a news conference on Monday, interim Conservative leader Rona Ambrose said the growing number of illegal dispensaries is increasing the risk that children will get access to pot. As such, she said, the pressure is on the government to present and implement its plan to legalize marijuana.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/marij...


Wow nearly pissed my self laughing, so now the conservatives want it legal? Why now? Anyways glad more people are on bored. This is going to happen!!

 

Drug-impaired driving: Complex challenges may accompany legalization of marijuana




Unlike alcohol and the breathalyzer, there is no universally accepted roadside test for marijuana impairment.

Universities and private companies, including some in Canada, are testing a variety of devices that focus on THC in saliva.

Colorado, where recreational marijuana is also legal, is conducting a pilot project with its state patrol. But the test can only detect when marijuana has been smoked, not if it was consumed as an edible or in another form.

The current practice in both states is that officers who suspect marijuana impairment can make an arrest and either ask the driver to submit to a voluntary blood test or petition a judge to order one.


http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/imp...


This is probably the biggest challenge to overcome in this revolution. We definitely do need a test but there are so many variable to account for. I mean sometimes I smoke a joint and could drive and other times I need to wait for 20 minutes. It will be interesting to see what they come up with.

 

They haven't said much about it, hopefully we will be able to but my guess is that we wont. Considering they don't use any resources to go out of their way to bust personal grows I am not to worried about it. Although it would be nice to toss a few plants in the backyard. Time will tell, pretty nice that they have the ball rolling already. I wasn't expecting it this early into the liberals campaign.

 

I don't see lcbo's selling it, I mean are they actually going to overhaul everyone in the province? Either way unless they sell it for less then $6/gram then they wont be getting much business from me. But we better follow colorado's seed to sale model, it really is genius.