"If you can meet the standards here in Canada, you can meet it anywhere in the world.”

Lift had a chance to speak with Don and Aaron of Amsterdam-based DNA Genetics and Mark Zekulin of Ontario’s Tweed Inc. yesterday about their recentannouncement of an exclusive partnership between the two companies.

Calgary planners hope to draft bylaw amendments regulating medical marijuana counselling services by the end of the year in advance of a looming Supreme Court decision that could trigger similar businesses to proliferate across the city.

Councillors Diane Colley-Urquhart and Gian-Carlo Carra introduced a motion earlier this year asking administration to develop new rules to prevent such businesses from clustering in neighbourhoods and keep them away from schools.

Calgary’s existing business use and land-use bylaws don’t have a category to regulate medical marijuana counselling outfits — a service traditionally provided by doctors.

Possibly one of the most dramatic changes coming from a Liberal government, if elected on Oct. 19, would be the legalization of marijuana in Canada.

Earlier this week on the campaign trail, Trudeau said his party is “committed to legalizing and regulating marijuana,” which would “remove the criminal element” linked to the drug and make it more difficult for youth to access.

To see what that could mean for consumers and tax collectors alike, voters can look no further than Colorado. In early 2014, it became the first U.S. state to legalize marijuana.

In your article, Mr. Kim Hale is quoted as saying that being convicted for cultivating marijuana "turns you right into a criminal, and to me, that is barbaric."  Sorry, but committing a criminal act makes you a criminal.  A conviction merely confirms it. 

Surely even under the influence of marijuana, one must agree that breaking into your house and pilfering your TV, makes that person a criminal or robbing a bank makes that person a criminal whether they are  caught and convicted or not.

KELOWNA, BC / ACCESSWIRE / September 29, 2015 / Laguna Blends Inc. (the "Company" or "Laguna") (CNSX: LAG) is pleased to announce that it has received approval from Health Canada for three additional powdered flavours: PRO369 Chocolate Banana, Mixed Berry and Vanilla Caramel. On Sept. 22nd, 2015 Laguna announced that it had received approval for Pro369 Tropical Powder.

The Minister of Health has granted Laguna a product license along with a Natural Product Number ("NPN") for all four of the Pro369 Flavours. They are all listed under the same NPN.

Laguna intends to market the listed four powdered flavours of its unique hemp proteins through its planned affiliate network.

The issue of the niqab in Canadian citizenship ceremonies roared to life again in Friday’s leadership debate with Tom Mulcair trying to fight his way out of a political corner by accusing the prime minister of using the issue for political reasons.

The debate also featured a ferocious battle about values with Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau demanding Stephen Harper state once and for all whether he is pro-choice. Harper retaliated by accusing him of setting a bad example to youth because the Liberals want to legalize marijuana.

As a regular feature leading up to the Oct. 19 federal election, we will ask you to weigh in on issues that matter.

Last week, we asked:

How should the marijuana issue be handled?

Here’s what you said:

“I think it should be decriminalized because it would mean more control over distribution and it could be regulated.”

Linda Guenther, Aurora

“We should go back to allowing those with a medical license to grow their own because we have just created a conglomerate culture and people who need it are having trouble getting it. The current policy is great for business, but not people.”

Michael Smith, Aurora

Patients with chronic pain who used cannabis daily for one year did not have an increase in serious adverse events compared to pain patients who did not use cannabis, according to a new study.

“This is the first and largest study of the long term safety of medical cannabis use by patients suffering from chronic pain ever conducted,” says lead author Mark Ware, associate professor of family medicine and anesthesia at McGill University.

“We found that medical cannabis, when used by patients who are experienced users, and as part of a monitored treatment program for chronic pain over one year, appears to have a reasonable safety profile.”

A new study conducted on the medical consumption of cannabis came up with some good news, and some bad news: for starters, while there were some adverse effects on consumers, no serious effects were reported. However, the reduction in pain also seems to be very small.

Montreal, September 29, 2015-- A Canadian research team led by Dr. Mark Ware from the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC) in Montréal has completed a national multicentre study looking at the safety of medical cannabis use among patients suffering from chronic pain. They found that patients with chronic pain who used cannabis daily for one year, when carefully monitored, did not have an increase in serious adverse events compared to pain patients who did not use cannabis. The results, which have been published online in The Journal of Pain, will serve as a benchmark study on the side effects of cannabis when used in pain management.