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Federal government invests $24 million for cannabis and brain health research
TORONTO — Federal Minister of Health Marjorie Michel has announced $24 million to create the Canadian Cannabis and Brain Health Consortium. Funded through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the group of 10 research teams from across Canada will work…
Dark-web drug trafficker is sentenced in B.C. after being extradited from Germany
VICTORIA — A Victoria man who was recently extradited from Germany to face accusations of running a dark-web drug trafficking ring has been sentenced to six and a half years in prison after pleading guilty to five charges. RCMP say…
Nepal’s Gandaki province legalizes medical cannabis farming and use
KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) — A provincial government in Nepal has legalized farming and use of marijuana for medical use despite a national ban. The bill went into effect Monday after it was endorsed by the chief of Gandaki province and…
Quebec company banned from selling unauthorized peptides: Health Canada
Health Canada says a court has approved the agency’s request to permanently ban a Quebec-based online store from selling unauthorized injectable peptides in the country. The federal agency says in a statement that the Superior Court of Québec has granted…
How a Vancouver ATM user with 66 cards set off years-long probe of online drug sales
VANCOUVER — It was more than three years ago when Vancouver police arrested a man after he was seen using multiple bank cards to make withdrawals at an ATM. A search revealed he was carrying 66 bank cards and $39,200…
New research affirms construction workers disproportionately affected by opioid deaths
TORONTO — Researchers hope a new report examining the occupations of people who have died of opioid overdoses in Ontario raises awareness about the breadth of the population affected by the drug epidemic. The study found that more than a…
Cancer society applauds certification of class-action against e-cigarette maker Juul
VANCOUVER — The Canadian Cancer Society says Canada’s federal and provincial governments need to strengthen regulations of vaping products to stem more youth addiction to nicotine, as e-cigarette marketing practices are poised to be put on trial in a national…
Montreal public health warns of rise in overdoses linked to fentanyl and carfentanil
MONTRÉAL — Montreal’s regional public health department is sounding the alarm over a significant rise in overdoses linked to fentanyl use, as well as several fatal overdoses involving carfentanil. The health department says paramedics have administered naloxone medication more than…
Kenyan court dismisses Rastafari case seeking to legalize marijuana
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Kenya’s High Court on Wednesday dismissed a petition seeking to legalize the use of cannabis by Rastafarians for religious purposes. Justice Bahati Mwamuye said Kenya’s laws prohibiting the cultivation and use of marijuana do not violate…
Grateful dog owner describes mountain rescue after canine apparently ingests cannabis
LONDON (AP) — Christina Bluhme was high on the flanks of Britain’s tallest mountain with her dogs and one of the hounds was a lot higher — and not in a good way. Tokyo, a 5-year-old black Labrador retriever, had…
Ontario man sentenced to 20 years in U.S. for leading cross-border drug ring
An Ontario man convicted in the United States of running a drug-trafficking operation across the border into Canada has been sentenced to 20 years in prison. Guramrit Sidhu of Brampton, Ont., pleaded guilty earlier this year to leading a drug…
B.C. drug deaths hit lowest level since before pandemic, down 55% since 2023 peak
VICTORIA — British Columbia has recorded its lowest monthly number of suspected toxic drug deaths since before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada, falling by more than half since their peak. The Ministry of Public Safety’s preliminary data…
What was in U.S. indictments targeting alleged Canada-linked crime groups?
LOS ANGELES — An indictment released by U.S. authorities on Tuesday includes fresh details about the alleged involvement of Indian gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and others in the murder of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Two other indictments meanwhile outline alleged…
Court documents allege link between Project South investigation, Ryan Wedding case
TORONTO — Newly released court documents are shedding more light on the alleged link between a sweeping police corruption probe in Ontario and the case of former Canadian Olympian Ryan Wedding, who is accused of running an international drug trafficking…
Virginia to allow recreational marijuana to be sold in retail stores beginning in 2027
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Five years after becoming the first Southern state to legalize possession of marijuana, Virginia has approved a legal way to sell it to recreational users. State budget legislation enacted Monday will allow up to 350 cannabis…