October 18, 2018

OCTOBER 18, 2018

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YOUR UNI VE R S I T Y O F SAS K ATC H E WA N ST UDE NT NE WS PA P E R S I N C E 1 9 1 2

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The University of Saskatchewan’s main campus is situated on Treaty 6 Territory and the Homeland of the Métis.

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Looking at your brain on cannabis

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T H E S H E A F P U B L I S HI NG S OC I E T Y // MONT H X X , 2 0 X X

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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF | Emily Migchels

editor@thesheaf.com NEWS EDITOR

CULTURE EDITOR

Tanner Bayne

Cole Chretien

news@thesheaf.com

culture@thesheaf.com

SPORTS & HEALTH EDITOR

OPINIONS EDITOR

Jack Thompson sportshealth@thesheaf.com

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NEWS

U of S organization aims to ‘legitimize’ the cannabis industry with evidence-based research The Sheaf speaks to a CRIS representative about what is evidence and what is smoke and mirrors in cannabis research.

Erin Matthews opinions@thesheaf.com

STAFF WRITER

Ana Cristina Camacho staffwriter@thesheaf.com COPY EDITOR | Amanda Slinger copy@thesheaf.com LAYOUT MANAGER | Kaitlin Wong layout@thesheaf.com PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR | Riley Deacon photo@thesheaf.com GRAPHICS EDITOR | Jaymie Stachyruk graphics@thesheaf.com WEB EDITOR | Nykole King web@thesheaf.com OUTREACH DIRECTOR | J.C. Balicanta Narag outreach@thesheaf.com AD & BUSINESS MANAGER | Shantelle Hrytsak ads@thesheaf.com

Supplied / Michael Fischer A marijuana plant.

CANUTE ROSAASEN

COVER IMAGE

Jaymie Stachyruk BOARD OF DIRECTORS Jeremy Britz Lyndsay Afseth Matthew Taylor Kayle Neis Emily Klatt Heywood Yu

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Mission // The mission of the Sheaf is to inform and entertain students by addressing those issues that are relevant to life on campus, in the city or in the province. The newspaper serves as a forum for discussion on a wide range of issues that concern students. Written for students, by students, it provides unique insight into university issues through a student perspective. The staff of editors, photographers and artists collaborate with volunteers as student journalists to create a product relevant to students on the University of Saskatchewan campus.

Legal // The Sheaf, published weekly during the academic year and periodically from May through August, is an incorporated non-profit that is, in part, student-body funded by way of a direct levy paid by all partand full-time undergraduate students at the U of S. The remainder of the revenue is generated through advertising. The financial affairs are governed by a Board of Directors, most of whom are students. Membership in the Sheaf Publishing Society is open to all undergraduate students at the U of S, who are encouraged to contribute to the newspaper. Absolutely no experience is required!

The opinions expressed in the Sheaf do not necessarily reflect those of the Sheaf Publishing Society Inc. The Sheaf reserves the right to refuse to accept or print any material deemed unfit for publication, as determined by the Editor-in-Chief. The Editor-in-Chief has the right to veto any submission deemed unfit for the Society newspaper. In determining this, the Editor-in-Chief will decide if the article or artwork would be of interest to a significant portion of the Society and benefit the welfare of Sheaf readers. The Sheaf will not publish any racist, sexist, homophobic or libellous material.

Land Acknowledgement // The Sheaf acknowledges that our office is built on Treaty Six Territory and the traditional homeland of the Métis. We pay our respects to the First Nations and Métis ancestors of this place and affirm both the importance of our relationship with Indigenous peoples and students at the U of S and our commitment to recognize and remain accountable for our collective history. corrections

In the Oct. 11 issue of the Sheaf, the article “New CFCR radio show by Edwards School of Business alumni brings a voice to immigrant communities” incorrectly stated that ESB alumna Anika Mysha was president of the Bangladeshi Students’ Association.

Mysha was actually the founder and president of the Bangladesh Undergraduate Student Federation.

We apologize for this error. If you spot any errors in this issue, please email them to copy@thesheaf.com for correction.

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Although cannabis is now legal in Canada, there is still much to understand about the substance.

One research organization at the University of Saskatchewan has a mandate to clear the air around the many applications of cannabis.

The Cannabinoid Research Initiative of Saskatchewan is a research team at the U of S that aims to explore the applications of cannabis. Guided under the four pillars of bio-medical research, analytical evaluations, socio-economics and knowledge transfer, the CRIS seeks to provide a solid evidence base for cannabis by means of an interdisciplinary approach.

On Oct. 2, the CRIS made waves when a U of S media release announced that the research group signed a three-year a memorandum of understanding with Sundial Growers Inc., an Alberta-based cannabis company. The MOU outlined a series of future cannabis clinical trials, wherein the CRIS will look into the effects of cannabis on dementia.

Jane Alcorn, co-lead of the bio-medical branch of the CRIS and associate dean of research and graduate affairs in the College of Pharmacy and Nutrition, says that, although the MOU with Sundial Growers is an important step, the agreement will

not be the last of its kind.

“It’s less about the agreement.

It’s more about doing the research necessary to ensure that cannabis has use in certain indications and providing the evidence base for that,” Alcorn said. “We enter into agreements with other companies, too… In this space, there is a lot of competition, and a lot of companies are looking to the academic institutions because that’s where the expertise lies in terms of writing studies.”

For Alcorn, the research that the CRIS will be completing will be quite valuable, as cannabis is a substance that has been marketed before being widely clinically tested.

“I think there is demand for cannabis research from the perspective of legitimizing the industry,” Alcorn said. “I’m a pharmaceutical scientist. I understand [the] drug discovery and development process. You do a lot of research first, you ensure safety and efficacy, and then a drug is marketed. Cannabis, in a sense, has done it in reverse…

Now, we’re going to go back and do safety and efficacy evaluations.”

Alcorn reveals that, although there are currently no registered participants in their clinical trials, the CRIS has already been contacted by people interested in the forthcoming studies. Alcorn states that the trials are on hold until funding comes through, but

that, should the grants that the organization has already applied for be accepted, the CRIS can start their studies by March 2019.

Since the CRIS is an organization made of up of multiple disciplines, Alcorn reveals that their research will include contributions from many areas of expertise. She also believes that students will be able to play a role in this research, eventually.

“As we grow, there will be a lot of opportunities … for undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral fellows,” Alcorn said. “There will always be basic science research, clinical research, research in the agriculture sector and socio-economic research where we will need to have undergraduates and graduates to participate in that. One of our primary purposes in CRIS is to provide a training ground for all types of trainees.”

Ultimately, Alcorn believes that the CRIS will be able to dispel some of the evidenceless rhetoric surrounding cannabis.

“There’s a certain portion of the population that thinks cannabis is a cure-all for everything — it’s not,” Alcorn said. “Cannabis is going to be beneficial in certain indications and in certain populations. We need to identify with strong evidence that cannabis will work for [a] disease in a certain population. It’s not going to be the be-all or end-all for everything.”

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Living Skies Cannabis: Alumna-owned cannabis store to open in Saskatoon Cierra Sieben-Chuback was awarded a cannabis retail permit shortly after convoking this spring.

ANA CRISTINA CAMACHO STAFF WRITER

Seven of the 51 cannabis retail permits distributed in Saskatchewan in preparation for legalization were given to prospective retailers in Saskatoon. Cierra Sieben-Chuback, entrepreneur and Edwards School of Business graduate, is one of the city’s new shop owners.

At 23, Sieben-Chuback is thought to be the youngest permit holder in the country and was awarded the licence just before convoking this spring. Her store, Living Skies Cannabis, will be located on Third Avenue South.

Sieben-Chuback says she chose the name as a tribute to Saskatchewan’s famous epithet: Land of Living Skies.

“I’m born and raised in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. My favourite part of living here has always been the sunsets and the sunrises — I think our sky is one the most beautiful things in the world,” Sieben-Chuback said. “I’m the only local person who will be opening up a store in Saskatoon — I felt like it really represents who I am.”

The other six licences were given to businesses and entrepreneurs from Alberta, Regina and British Colum-

bia. Sieben-Chuback believes that her status as the only Saskatoon resident on the list differentiates her shop from the others.

“I’m the local retailer,” Sieben-Chuback said. “I feel like the citizens [of ] Saskatoon tend to want to support their local businesses, so I hope that I get to benefit off of that as well.”

The application to enter the permit lottery has been described as “ridiculous to work through,” but Sieben-Chuback says her assignments from courses at the Edwards School of Business, particularly her commerce classes, prepared her for the process.

“I found it pretty easy.

I know that not everyone thought that it was that easy, but I had the opportunity to sit down and write a business plan for class,” Sieben-Chuback said. “At the time, I wrote it for a medical marijuana dispensary, but I used a lot of that business plan and just shifted it so it would fit for the application.”

As a recent graduate of the university, Sieben-Chuback hopes to see students come to her store, but she does not plan to make students her only target audience.

“I’m hoping students come out, but I don’t want to lim-

Thomas Garchinski Cierra Sieben-Chuback stands in front of her cannabis store, Living Skies Cannabis, on Oct. 15.

it myself by only tailoring to one kind of customer,” Sieben-Chuback said. “I will have something at every price point for every kind of person’s needs.”

Sieben-Chuback discusses how opening her first business in a new industry is both difficult and exciting.

“It’s definitely scary, but it’s a fun scary,” Sieben-Chuback said. “This is the first round of marijuana dispensaries in the city, and I think that it’s really cool that I get to be a part of that, making history.”

The newness of the can-

nabis-retail industry comes with new and still developing regulations, but Sieben-Chuback is optimistic about the future of the laws surrounding her business.

“I’m still trying to understand what I can and can’t do,” Sieben-Chuback said. “What I’m predicting is that the regulations and rules that are imposed on me right now are probably the most strict that they’ll ever be. I feel like the way we retailers conduct our business will, in the future, shape those rules and regulations into what they will be.”

Living Skies Cannabis,

like the other new stores in Saskatoon, will not open in time for legalization day.

Sieben-Chuback attributes this to nationwide supply issues with licensed producers.

“You can’t just have enough product to open your doors.

You have to make sure that the licensed producer you are working with will have a steady stream of supply coming in, so you can be confident that your doors will remain open,” Sieben-Chuback said. “Currently, I don’t have any plans for my business for legalization day.”

The USask alumni family is here to give our students and young grads helpful tools to become the leaders the world needs. Join us to hear USask alumni offer up advice and skills on issues that matter to you.

Louis’ Loft, 4 pm Register today at alumni.usask.ca

OCT. 22, 2018* Personal brand and social influence OCT. 25, 2018 Ten things I wish someone had told me in my early 20s NOV. 20, 2018 Money 101: financial advice for students and young grads JAN. 15, 2019 The art of resumés and cover letters MARCH 5, 2019 The dos and don’ts to buying your first home APRIL 2, 2019 Mindful meditation

* Oct. 22 has a $10 entry fee and includes your own professional headshot. The others are free to attend.

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U of S unveils revised Smoking, Alcohol and Substances Policy days before cannabis legalization The Sheaf speaks to the U of S vice-provost of teaching, learning and student experience about the updated policy.

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U of S focuses on Indigenization with new university plan The U of S unveiled its strategic plan outlining goals geared to moving towards Indigenization and reconciliation.

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TANNER BAYNE NEWS EDITOR

ANA CRISTINA CAMACHO STAFF WRITER

On Oct. 15, the University of Saskatchewan announced, via PAWS, their updates to the university’s Smoking, Alcohol and Substances Policy in anticipation of cannabis legalization on Oct. 17. The purported purpose of the updated policy is to promote well-being and cannabis education, while complying with provincial and federal law.

The announcement outlined the major points of the updated policy, stating that cannabis consumption is not permitted on campus property except for medical purposes, that growing cannabis plants is not allowed on campus property except for approved research projects and that staff and students are not to be high while attending class or working. Additionally, the announcement reminded students, faculty and staff that there are supports and accommodations for those with substance-use disorders.

Patti McDougall, viceprovost of teaching, learning and student experience, spoke to the Sheaf about the updates to the policy. She believes that the ultimate goal of the policy is to inform campus-goers of cannabis regulations.

“I think people should educate themselves on what the provincial legislation looks like.

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People should be aware that it’s driven with a goal to create an environment that promotes and supports health and safety and the well-being of everyone.

The policy applies to everyone,” McDougall said. “Education, I think, is the key takeaway — we have to invest in that, and it has to be transparent and accessible to everyone on campus.”

According to McDougall, the changes made to the Smoking, Alcohol and Substances Policy were informed through consultations with a number of different sources, from student leaders to university lawyers to research projects headed by the Ministry of Health.

McDougall reveals that the university submitted an application to the Minister of Justice to have access to the Cannabis Control Act, which would give Protective Services the ability to issue fines for non-compliance with the university’s cannabis policy. However, McDougall was unable to comment on whether or not violations of the policy would be recorded on a student’s academic record, as McDougall says this would be handled on a case-by-case basis.

McDougall states that these procedures are similar to how the U of S manages alcohol use.

“It’s our intention on campus to treat cannabis in the same way that we have focused [on] and been concerned about alcohol,” McDougall said. “We are expecting everyone on campus to respect the policy with the goal of minimizing risks for oth-

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ers. It’s certainly possible that non-compliance will result in such things as fines.”

Although cannabis consumption is prohibited on all campus property, the Smoking, Alcohol and Substances Policy states that the U of S works to “engender a culture — not of prohibition and abstinence — but rather of moderation and informed use.” For McDougall, this disparity is due to provincial legislation, but she says it can be mitigated through dialogue with campus members. “[Cannabis] is not allowed on campus because the province has prohibited public consumption, so I think our best bet at achieving that goal would be [through] education and awareness,” McDougall said. “The Peer Health mentor group is dedicated to harm reduction in alcohol consumption, and they are quite successful in getting the message out, so I can imagine us replicating this approach in regards to other substances.”

According to McDougall, the policy will be revisited as further laws and procedures around cannabis use are developed.

“The university … will have to be watching and tracking developments and research to be ready to go back and revise our policy, if necessary,” McDougall said. “It looks like, in 2019, legislation might come out around edibles, so we’ll be paying attention. This policy won’t be something that will sit on a shelf unattended — we’ll be careful about tracking and learning about what goes on around us to revise as we need to.”

On Oct. 10, the University of Saskatchewan administration presented a new university plan to a crowd in Upper Place Riel. Entitled The University the World Needs, the proposal is said to guide the university’s trajectory until 2025.

The media event began with a prayer from Métis Elder Norman Fleury and included speeches from Jacqueline Ottmann, vice-provost of Indigenous engagement, and U of S President Peter Stoicheff. The strategic plan puts forward a new mission for the university with a vision and values that focus on reconciliation and Indigenization.

According to Stoicheff, the plan is the only one of its kind, built on four principles from a 2016 university policy.

“Our new strategic plan builds on the foundation of our 2016 mission, vision and values document, and the principles — and there are four of them: connectivity, creativity, diversity and sustainability — [are] the core pillars,” Stoicheff said at the media event.

Stoicheff also said that there is a commitment within the plan to develop Indigenization and reconciliation with the Indigenous communities on campus and in the province.

“Carefully woven throughout the plan is our steadfast commitment to Indigenization and answering the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s calls to action,” Stoicheff said.

It has also been said that the strategic plan is the result of continuous contributions from elders, traditional knowledge keepers and the Indigenous communities within campus.

For Ottmann, the university’s new strategic plan and her own position at the U of S, which she entered into on Oct. 1, are the result of previous work from Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities.

“This is through the longstanding advocacy of Indigenous peoples, of allies and so many people for so many years,” Ottmann said at the event. “Today, we have something that we can be truly proud of, which is the university plan.”

At the conclusion of the media event, Stoicheff and Debra Pozega Osburn, vice-president of university relations, were gifted Métis sashes and were blanketed, thus symbolizing the understanding between the university and the Métis and First Nations communities on campus.

Ottmann says that these gestures speak to the relationship between the U of S and the Indigenous communities at the university.

“It is an honour to be robed in such a way, and it symbolizes the embracing of the communities,” Ottmann said. “We do understand that it does take strong leadership to embark on a new journey and also to lead significant change.”

J.C. Balicanta Narag / Outreach Director Peter Stoicheff is gifted a ceremonial blanket during the unveiling of the university plan on Oct. 10.

SPORTS&HEALTH

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SPORTS&HEALTH

Recipe:

High-level sports: Looking at athletes and cannabis in the age of legalization Despite legalization now being a reality, athletes will continue to be barred from marijuana consumption during competition.

Super special peanut butter and jam brownies JACK THOMPSON

SPORTS & HEALTH EDITOR

Recipe adapted from foodnetwork.ca Serves: 9 Time: 75 minutes Brownie ingredients: 1 cup unsalted butter, plus more for the pan 1¼ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the pan 6 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped 2 cups granulated sugar 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder ½ tsp. kosher salt 4 large eggs 2 tsp. vanilla extract

David Hartman U of S huskies players practice at Griffiths stadium.

JACK THOMPSON

SPORTS & HEALTH EDITOR

Cannabis is now legal, and while this may be where the conversation ends for some, there is still much to be discussed following the federal legislation. In the realm of sports, it seems that not much will change, as athletes will continue to be barred from using the substance.

Even though the law may be changing at the federal level, the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport will continue to categorize cannabis as a prohibited substance. Paul Melia, president and CEO of CCES, says that this decision is in line with the rules set forth by the World Anti-Doping Agency and that WADA’s position on cannabis will continue to be reflected by the CCES. According to WADA’s position on the topic, a substance makes the prohibited list if it meets two of three criteria: if it has the potential to enhance or enhances sport performance, if it poses an actual or potential health risk or if it violates the spirit of sport. Melia says that cannabis meets these criteria.

“While the CCES does not view cannabis as particularly performance enhancing, we do have anecdotal accounts of athletes using it therapeutically with the intent to improve performance or recovery by managing pain, stress or anxiety,” Melia said in an email to the Sheaf. “Habitual use or abuse

presents the potential for harm, especially for younger athletes.

Impairment during competition presents a liability to the safety of the athlete and their competitors.”

As many know, just because something is illegal or banned does not mean that no one will be doing it. Athletes have used cannabis prior to legalization and most likely won’t stop now that it is legal and more easily accessible. Between April 1, 2016 and March 31, 2017, the CCES reports that three athletes tested positive for cannabis — making it the most popular single substance across all 13 recorded infractions during the year.

The Sheaf to spoke to a former Huskies athlete about their cannabis use while participating in competitions. Ellie Williams*, a student at the University of Saskatchewan and former Huskie, explains that the nature of their cannabis consumption, both in the time leading up to and during their time playing with a Huskies team, was as a means of mental release.

“I smoked for about three years — two of which were steady smoking, one while participating with the team,” Williams said. “I used marijuana as a mental escape. I would say [I used it] every second day if not everyday.”

Drug tests are something that most athletes go through — they search for prohibited substances, ranging from steroids to cannabis and others, and are adminis-

tered at random, meaning that, for the most part, an athlete is unaware if they are going to be tested. Williams spoke to the stress they experienced with this possibility in mind.

“The possibility of a drug test caused me a lot of stress, [but] I didn’t smoke for any other reason [than] to relieve anxiety and [help with] mental relaxation while taking five classes, having two jobs and participating with the team,” Williams said.

Though Williams was not using cannabis with the intent to modify their athletic performance, Williams notes that their use of marijuana had effects on their performance as an athlete.

“It definitely slowed the oxygen to my body and caused numbness and tingling, depending on the timeframe of smoking. I was slowed down for sure and felt fatigued very [quickly] after arriving,” Williams said.

On the topic of athletes smoking, Williams shares a similar opinion to that of the CCES — that athletes should continue to be barred from cannabis.

“I think it’s absolutely a good idea. No athlete benefits from marijuana use. If anything, it would be detrimental to their performance, which any serious athlete would be against,” Williams said. “At the time I was on the team, I was struggling with my mental illnesses and used smoking as a coping method.” *To respect the privacy of the individual interviewed, their name has been changed.

Icing ingredients: ⅓ cup confectioners’ sugar ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened 1 cup smooth peanut butter ¼ cup cream cheese, softened ½ cup seedless strawberry jam Start out by lining a 9-inch by 13-inch pan with foil, and then butter the foil before dusting it with flour. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit while you melt the butter in a large saucepan on medium-low. Melt the bittersweet chocolate in the saucepan, stirring constantly.

Once the chocolate is mostly melted, remove from heat and continue to stir until it is melted completely.

Add the granulated sugar, cocoa powder and salt in with the chocolate, and stir until combined. Add each egg one at a time, stirring after each egg, before mixing in the vanilla. Follow this up with the flour, and stir until incorporated. Feel free to add in any additional ingredients you may want at this point — such as walnuts or a big helping of love.

Pour this batter into your prepared pan, and bake until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes back out with a few crumbs on it — about 40 minutes in total.

Let cool in the pan for half an hour before transferring to a cutting board to cool completely before frosting. While waiting for the brownies to cool, you can begin to make the icing.

Cream together the confectioners’ sugar and butter until light and fluffy before beating in the peanut butter and cream cheese. Frost the brownies with this mixture. Add 1 teaspoon of water to the jam in a bowl, stir together, dollop the jam evenly across the brownies, and swirl.

Jaymie Stachyruk / Graphics Editor

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Men’s and women’s soccer teams prepare for playoffs With the end of the Canada West soccer season fast approaching, the Sheaf looks at the Huskies’ performance.

ANA CRISTINA CAMACHO STAFF WRITER

A few weeks away from playoffs, the Huskies soccer teams reflect on their season. Both teams have fewer points than they had at this time last year, but strong individual performances from both veteran and rookie players still stand out in the season so far.

Last season, the men’s team had a run in the championship that ended with a quarter-final 5-1 defeat against the Thompson Rivers University WolfPack — the only goal of the match for the Huskies was scored by striker Tyler Redl. The women’s team was also defeated in the quarter-finals, in a 3-0 match against the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds.

Before the start of the 2018 season, the men’s team highlighted their returning core players as a strength for the team. Gabriel Buatois, Kwame Opoku-Addai, Marcello Gonzalez, Tyler Redl and Bryce Marinus were the top point scorers last year, and they have continued to make a strong positive impact. This core team is collectively responsible for seven of the 16 goals of the season so far.

This year’s recruits are also worthy of recognition. Rookies Tobi Ojo and Nikolas Baikas have made their mark as point scorers — so far, they have scored three goals each.

Heywood Yu U of S Huskies midfielder Payton Izsak kicks the ball during the second-half of the Canada West women’s soccer game against the UBC Thunderbirds at Field 7 in Nutrien Park. on Oct. 13.

The men’s soccer team had a strong start to their season on Aug. 25 with a decisive 4-2 victory against the Calgary Dinos on the Dinos’ home turf. Their next two games, however, were less successful, with a 2-3 loss against the Mount Royal Cougars and a 1-2 defeat against the Alberta Golden Bears.

After that, the team pulled off a

2-1 victory against the MacEwan Griffins on Sept. 2, but afterward, they experienced two 0-3 losses — against the UBC Thunderbirds and the University of Northern British Columbia Timberwolves, respectively — as well as a 0-1 loss against the University of Fraser Valley Cascades.

In their most recent games, the men’s team tied the UBC Okana-

gan Heat in a 1-1 match, defeated the Griffins again with a score of 2-0, and lost once again to the Golden Bears at 0-4, before tying the Lethbridge Pronghorns 2-2 and then winning against them 2-1. All in all, it’s been a good season for the men’s team, despite a couple of missed opportunities.

Nine new recruits on the Huskies women’s soccer team were expected to give the team an edge this season and they have not disappointed — the new additions are responsible for nine of the 14 goals of the season so far, with Cassidy Hayward and Taisa Gabruch having scored two goals each and Payton Izsak having scored five.

After two ties and a win be-

tween their invitationals and exhibition game, the women’s team kicked off their season with a 2-2 draw against the University of Winnipeg Wesmen. Their tying streak continued with 1-1 games against the Manitoba Bisons and the MacEwan Griffins and a 2-2 match against the UNBC Timberwolves, before ending with a 1-2 loss against the Alberta Pandas.

Afterward, the women’s team lost 0-3 against the Cougars, 0-4 against the Dinos and 1-2 against the Pronghorns. In their more recent games, the team won against the Regina Rams twice, both times with a score of 1-0, lost 0-1 to the Thunderbirds and lost 0-4 to the Victoria Vikes.

Heywood Yu Midfielder Haley Mercier dribbles the ball downfield during the second-half of the Canada West women’s soccer game against UBC Thunderbirds at Field 7 in Nutrien Park on Oct. 13.

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Your cortex on cannabinoids: How does Mary Jane affect your brain?

There is so much left to learn when it comes to how cannabis can influence your brain.

ERIN MATTHEWS OPINIONS EDITOR

Cannabis legalization will likely increase interest for both its recreational and medicinal applications. While there’s a lot of information out there on how this drug affects your brain — from both pro-cannabis and anti-drug campaigns — it’s apparent that more research is needed to answer the big questions.

The shift of cannabis from an illicit drug to a health product has been a strange metamorphosis over the last decade. Legalization may seem like a natural step forward, but with easier access, perhaps more education and understanding is needed.

Dr. Robert Laprairie, assistant professor in the College of Pharmacy and Nutrition and GlaxoSmithKline chair in drug discovery and research, explains how cannabis affects our brains.

“We have an endogenous cannabinoid system,” Laprairie said.

“And we have receptors in our brain — CB1, in particular — [that] are expressed on what are called the presynaptic neurons.”

Laprairie explains that this endogenous system is involved in communication between neurons in our brains. The presynaptic neuron releases a signal to its neighbour. This neighbouring neuron gets excited, makes something called endocannabinoids — your body’s natural cannabinoids — and sends them back to the first neuron where they bind to the receptor. This tells the neuron to slow down and stop releasing signals.

“That way, those cannabinoids are acting as a neuronal break,” Laprairie said. “When you have other cannabinoids — particularly THC — in the mix, they’re just acting to boost that breaking effect. So it’s like throwing the emergency brake in addition to everything else.”

THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, is the primary substance in cannabis that gets you high.

While there has been some research suggesting that THC might be an option to treat some forms of acute pain, and perhaps, appetite stimulation in some patients suffering from terminal illnesses, THC is not the main medicinal molecule.

Cannabidiol, or CBD, is an-

other compound that works in the brain, but unlike THC, it will not get you high. CBD is the main interest when looking into the pharmaceutical applications of cannabis.

Laprairie says that a few neurological and psychiatric conditions may benefit from cannabinoids. Evidence suggests that multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease are good candidates, in this respect, and that anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder might also be effectively managed. According to Laprairie, the jury is still out, however, and more evidence is needed for these conditions.

With greater access to recreational cannabis, there are questions surrounding how the substance will affect the brains of users. Warnings have been circulating for years about the negative effects that cannabis has on the developing brain, and there’s even speculation that it can contribute to the development of schizophrenia and psychosis.

Dr. John Howland — a professor in the anatomy, physiology and pharmacology department

and head of the Howland Lab, a behavioural neuroscience lab at the University of Saskatchewan — explains what the current research has to say.

“People with the disorder use more cannabis than the general population, but it’s not clear whether the drug causes or exacerbates schizophrenia or if patients smoke it in an attempt to self medicate or if there are common genetic factors that predispose people to [both] cannabis use and schizophrenia,” Howland said in an email to the Sheaf.

Howland adds that there are no firm answers to this question yet but that there is considerable investigation being done on the subject.

Legalization in Saskatchewan prohibits cannabis use for people under 19 years of age, but it’s hard to say exactly how much this will deter usage among adolescents. Howland says there are

Wei Soong Lau

concerns about the use of cannabis during adolescence.

“It appears that the endocannabinoid system is involved in brain development, including adolescence, so altering its activity is of concern,” Howland said.

When it comes to the effects of cannabis on our brains, there are many things we still don’t know.

Legalization has the potential to stimulate new research efforts, and going forward, a focus on research and education is what’s really needed to understand exactly what cannabis is capable of.

It’s time to drop the puck!

Students get in FREE to all Huskie games. Get your ticket with valid student card in PAC 222 or the Merlis Belsher Place ticket booth beginning one hour prior to game time.

Limited seating available.

Grand Opening October 26 and 27 usask.ca/merlisbelsherplace

vs.

Men’s hockey: October 26 @ 7 pm Women’s hockey: October 27 @ 7 pm

Community Open House Saturday, October 27, 10 am – 3 pm Public skate, meet and greet with Dave King, giveaways, informal tours, sledge hockey demos and more!

SPORTS & HEALTH / 7

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HASH REALITIES:

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Pot legislation will affect everybody differently The federal government didn’t bogart the bill, passing legislation to allow the use and regulated sale of cannabis in Canada — but there are still issues to weed out.

EMILY MIGCHELS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

In the hazy first days since its passing, discourses surrounding the Cannabis Act and its coinciding policies prove that all we know so far is that we know very little. Though legalization will undoubtedly divert unnecessary criminal charges and open access to the drug in a safer way, it is critical to consider the still-unknown effects.

The Cannabis Act — or Bill C-45 — passed through the senate on June 18, receiving royal assent on June 21. It was paired with Bill C-46, an amendment to the Criminal Code concerning impaired driving.

Legalization came into effect on Oct. 17, 2018, marking nearly seven years policy development — 77 per cent of federal Liberal party member-delegates voted to make legalization a party policy in January 2012. Since its inception, marijuana legislation has been the subject of both celebration and concern.

What we can expect, based on policy, is that a lot of people are going to be lost in the unknown and a lot of people are going to be overlooked. The courts are predicted to be bloated with those seeking settlement, as well. Problems that plagued the cannabis market as it previously existed will continue, including barriers to access and profiling causing prosecution.

There are the immediate standout issues, varying from province to province, yielding a patchwork of limitations.

In Saskatchewan, you won’t be able to smoke up anywhere outside of private property — granted you have permission from the owner and are far away from minors.

You’ll have a hard time finding homegrown in Manitoba — the province, along with Quebec, has banned private plants — and you won’t be able to purchase a special brownie anywhere in the country any time soon if you’ve even managed to find legal bud in the days or weeks without nearby retailers.

Moreover, your trusted dealer will still be penalized if found out and could face anything from a ticket to 14 years

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in prison for under-the-table transactions after the legalization of cannabis.

Julie Vickaryous has been a medical cannabis patient for five years and she also works in the industry — formerly as manager of National Access Cannabis, an organization which connects patients with doctors, and now with Saskatchewan-based retailer Jimmy’s Cannabis in Martensville. Vickaryous is a cannabis chef who advocates for cannabis use both as a treatment and a potential means for harm reduction.

“Anyone who lives in Saskatchewan knows that we have drinking issues, we have drug issues plus driving issues, and I think that legalization is a way for our country to take something that’s less toxic [and make it] that kind of recreational thing,” Vickaryous said.

Vickaryous hopes that putting pot on the market will help curb high rates of alcoholism in the province and attributes her own career decisions to her belief that there is potential for the industry to thrive in Saskatchewan.

“I wanted to remain in the local scene. Saskatchewan has always been very much my home, I wanted to see the cannabis industry flourish here. We’re such an agricultural hub, and shopping local and supporting local is such a huge thing in Saskatchewan,” Vickaryous said.

Though she supports the Cannabis Act in that it marks a

positive step toward greater harm reduction, she says that both her experiences in dealing with the legislation as the manager of a retail outlet and as an educated consumer has caused more than a few headaches.

“It’s just creating a more open environment for these kinds of things. I don’t think it’s being done in the best way that it could be, but I think it’s better being done than not at all,” Vickaryous said. “They wrote the rules because it sounds right to the people who know nothing about it, but [these rules are] not grounded in fact, so it’s really frustrating.”

For Vickaryous, the blurred lines between medicinal and recreational use post legalization are a dangerous grey zone, and she hopes there will be reconsiderations made sooner rather than later.

“I cannot serve anyone who appears to have used that day, and this is a huge issue for medical patients… I think what we’re going to see most is human-rights cases involving DUIs, especially with medical patients,” Vickaryous said.

Vickaryous doesn’t doubt that she’ll have to challenge a DUI charge in the near future.

“I use cannabis all day to replace all of my medications, so if I ever have the misfortune of being a woman who’s pulled over by a cop in the first place, … they’re going to swab me, and I’m going to get a DUI right away,” Vickaryous said.

Fears such as these should be no surprise, however, as limited understanding is a hallmark of the topic itself — perhaps due to certain side effects, in part, though more likely the result of decades of fear mongering, repression and racism disguised as the political War on Drugs.

Comparatively, cannabis research is lagging far behind its medicinally classed counterparts when considering its widespread use, and as a result, myths and misinformation have circulated for generations.

Canada has a long-running history of being contentious toward cannabis. When the decision was made to classify the drug as criminal in 1923, there was very little qualifying evidence to back up the so-called necessitating claims.

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You might be familiar with Emily Murphy, a famed Canadian suffragette who also penned The Black Candle, published in 1922. Beginning as series of articles appearing in Macleans, allegedly intended to incite public demand for stricter drug legislation, The Black Candle attributed the use and rise in popularity of drugs such as cannabis and opium in predominantly white communities to an ambiguously defined non-white influence.

Murphy claimed that such drugs were a device intended to “bring about the downfall of the white race” and later nominated herself for a Nobel Prize. From what we can derive from the statistics in recent years, it would seem as though Murphy’s miseducated fear is most certainly working the other way.

In 2014, about 24,000 people were charged with cannabis possession. That number dropped to about 21,000 in

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2015, and between Oct. 2015 and April 2017, about 15,300 people were charged with cannabis possession. The number of possession charges per year has steadily decreased since as early as 2011, with numbers beginning to drop significantly in 2014.

Though the federal government is facing pressure to promptly grant amnesty to those who have been convicted of cannabis-based offences, it’s still unclear exactly to what degree this will happen.

Black and Indigenous people have made up a disproportionate amount of cannabis-related charges since the Liberal party won with a majority vote on a platform to legalize the drug — and the ratios close to home are shocking. From 2015 to mid-2017, Indigenous people in Regina were nearly nine times more likely to get arrested for cannabis possession than white people despite similar

FEATURE

rates of use across racial groups.

Furthermore, an investigation by the Toronto Star in 2017 found that Black people with no history of convictions were three times more likely to be arrested by Toronto police for possession in small amounts than white people from similar backgrounds.

According to a poll conducted by The Globe and Mail and Nanos Research, about 62 per cent of Canadians support or somewhat support pardoning those with criminal records for pot possession when legalization is in effect.

In the months following this hefty reconfiguration, it will be imperative for policy makers, industry leaders and consumers alike to consider the wider implications of what groundwork has already been laid and to continue to be critical of the rules and regulations that surround the substance.

All Graphics by Jaymie Stachyruk / Graphics Editor

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EVENTS T H U R S

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GENNEXT: BRIDGING THE GAP @ THE UNDERGROUND CAFÉ, 5:00 P.M.

THE EDWARDS SCHOOL OF BUSINESS FORMAL @ PRAIRIELAND PARK, 5:30 P.M.

COMEDY LAB

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Greystone Theatre begins its latest season with Tom Stoppard’s Arcadia A new production by the drama department hopes to honour an acclaimed playwright’s modern classic.

@ CRAZY CACTUS, 7:30 P.M.

KARAOKE THURSDAY @ AMIGOS CANTINA, 9:00 P.M.

F R I

19

PHILOSOPHY IN THE COMMUNITY: RE-ENVISIONING THE LIBERAL ARTS @ THE REFINERY, 7:00 P.M. ARSON CULT ALBUM RELEASE PARTY WITH DEAD FIBRES, CRYPTORCHIDS AND KI THE TREE @ SASKATOON INDOOR SKATEPARK, 8:00 P.M.

CUB SPORT @ LOUIS’ PUB, 8:00 P.M. TOKYO POLICE CLUB AND FLEECE @ CAPITOL MUSIC CLUB, 9:30 P.M.

S A T

20

INTRO TO THE DARKROOM WORKSHOP: PART 2 @ PAVED ARTS, 12:00 P.M.

THE 100TH MERIDIAN: DOWNIE WENJACK FUND BENEFIT SHOW @ LOUIS’ PUB, 7:00 P.M. NIGHTSHIRT AT STUDIO54 @ PAVED ARTS, 9:00 P.M.

THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS @ THE BROADWAY THEATRE, 9:00 P.M.

S U N

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DAVID JAMES & BIG RIVER, JOHNNY CASH TRIBUTE @ THE BROADWAY THEATRE, 7:00 P.M.

SUNDAY NIGHT JAM @ BUDS ON BROADWAY, 8:00 P.M.

TONIGHT IT’S POETRY: ANARCHY SLAM FT. ELISE PALLAGI @ AMIGOS CANTINA, 8:00 P.M.

KARAOKE NIGHT @ FLINT SALOON, 9:00 P.M. M O N

22

BACKPACK TO BRIEFCASE: PERSONAL BRAND AND SOCIAL INFLUENCE @ LOUIS’ LOFT, 4:00 P.M. GAMES NIGHT @ LOUIS’ PUB, 7:00 P.M.

THEOLOGY ON TAP @ LOUIS’ PUB, 7:00 P.M.

LADYBITS IMPROV COMEDY COLLECTIVE @ AMIGOS CANTINA, 7:15 P.M.

T U E S

23

UNIVERSITY OF SASKATCHEWAN GHOST TOURS @ DIEFENBAKER CANADA CENTRE, 6:45 P.M.

CBC ASKS: SHOULD SASKATOON BUILD A DOWNTOWN ARENA? @ REMAI MODERN, 7:00 P.M. 100% TUESDAYS @ LOUIS’ PUB, 8:00 P.M.

OPEN STAGE @ CAPITOL MUSIC CLUB, 9:00 P.M.

W E D

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David Stobbe Actors from Arcadia pose for a photo.

ABORIGINAL SONG WRITERS SHOWCASE W/ MITCH DAIGNEAULT @ CAPITOL MUSIC CLUB, 6:30 P.M.

BROTHERS OSBORNE @ COORS EVENT CENTRE, 7:00 P.M.

JILL BARBER WITH JUSTIN NOZUKA @ THE BROADWAY THEATRE, 8:00 P.M.

NEW CITY: FREE SHOW @ LOUIS’ PUB, 8:00 P.M.

OCT. 10-20

ARCADIA

OCT. 20-21

SASKATOON FASHION AND DESIGN FESTIVAL

OCT. 22-24

ART IN MIND

@ GREYSTONE THEATRE

@ DELTA BESSBOROUGH

@ PLACE RIEL NORTH CONCOURSE

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COLE CHRETIEN CULTURE EDITOR

Another performance season is underway at the Greystone Theatre, beginning with an ambitious adaptation of Tom Stoppard’s 1993 production Arcadia.

The play merges science, philosophy, tragedy and comedy in an ambitious and fragmented tale of love and loss.

The play is directed by University of Saskatchewan drama department Professor Julia Jamison with drama students comprising the cast and crew. Jamison has been directing plays at the Greystone since 2005. Two of the actors — Julia Opdahl and Kody Farrow — are performing in the play as part of their Bachelor’s of Fine Arts degrees.

Arcadia takes place in two different time periods, switching back and forth between the 1990s and the late 1800s. Almost all of the characters in Arcadia are academics from various backgrounds who engage in frequent debates about the merits of classicism and romanticism, the divide between philosophy and the sciences, and other heady topics.

In explaining the play, Jamison focused on the play’s spine — a concept that describes the motivations of the characters within the play.

“The spine of this play is a line right out of the play: ‘It’s wanting to know that makes us matter,’ so percolating at the heart of

every character is the desire to know something, the passion for knowledge,” Jamison said.

In selecting the play, Jamison says her intent was to pick something that was intelligent and well-suited to her cast.

“It’s such an intelligent script, so there are big rewards just by virtue of that. The characters are all pretty age specific, meaning that most of the characters are within a believable age range of our students — so that’s appealing,” Jamison said.

With its high-minded academic influences and unconventional narrative structure, Arcadia certainly has a lot going on. At its core, the play tells the story of a brilliant and overlooked young mathematician and the multidisciplinary scholars who accidentally discovered her work over 100 years later.

The stunning set, developed for this production by drama student Rory Jewiss, is essential to the storytelling. Upstage, large windows stand in for the offscreen pastoral garden paradise from which the play derives its name, while a table placed in centre stage collects objects from both timelines and serves as a link between the two time periods being explored.

The most impressive aspect of the play is how Arcadia uses its subject matter to inform how the story unfolds. Earlier conversations about chaos theory and thermodynamics are repurposed towards the end of the play as the story itself becomes increasingly

fragmented and experimental before reaching a state of equilibrium.

Staging a play that’s as clever and reference-laden as Arcadia is a difficult undertaking. To do the play justice, Jamison conducted a deep read in order to properly interpret the play and better understand it’s allusions to academia.

“This play has so many references that we combed through for our first read, and the actors had all been assigned to research one of the topics that surfaced in relation to their characters,” Jamison said. “We brought in a student of ours who takes acting classes, but he’s also a honours math student, to give us a tutorial on the math in the play.”

In Arcadia, the second law of thermodynamics — which dictates that heat can only be lost and cannot be created — is utilized to create a picture of a finite universe that will eventually end up cold and dark. Jamison says that, while the play is written in a comedic style, “there is that haunting aspect of it, of the fact that death is hovering.”

Arcadia is a complex work, but Jamison hopes that viewers will be able to follow the plotline and find emotional resonance in the tragic arc of the play.

“I want [viewers] to be engaged by the story — I want them to be charmed by the characters and to be moved by the end of the play.”

Arcadia will continue at the Greystone Theatre until Oct. 20.

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Student Wellness Centre Cannabis Information Fair focuses on harm reduction and policy education As part of a series of planned events, the Student Wellness Centre looks to better educate on the issues surrounding marijuana legalization.

TANNER BAYNE NEWS EDITOR

COLE CHRETIEN CULTURE EDITOR

In order to educate students, faculty and staff about safe and responsible cannabis consumption, the University of Saskatchewan Student Wellness Centre hosted a Cannabis Information Fair in Room 104 of Marquis Hall on Oct. 17.

According to Maryellen Gibson, a Peer Health mentor from the Student Wellness Centre, the fair offered facts and practical advice about harm reduction concerning cannabis from experts in the fields of public policy and mental health.

“We’re going to have professionals there who are working here at the university … [and] we also have a few people like myself who work with Student Wellness who can answer questions if people want to know a little bit more about how to lower their risk

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around cannabis use,” Gibson said.

The information supplied at the event was based on Canada’s Lower Risk Cannabis Use Guidelines, published by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.

The document contains information intended to educate users on the effects of cannabis, right down to the chemical composition of the substance.

Gibson spoke about preventing cannabis use while driving in accordance with the laws of the Saskatchewan government.

“One of the big things that everyone asks about is driving…

Those lower-risk guidelines suggest at least a bare minimum to wait six hours after use before driving, but we suggest to wait as long as you feel you need to and that can be up to 24 hours,” Gibson said.

While the CAMH guidelines are the current standard for cannabis education, as more information becomes available, the Student Wellness Centre plans to adapt as new studies and knowledge become available.

“This is something that we want to continue talking about when it comes to cannabis, specifically, because we want to be open to whatever research is coming out

Riley Deacon / Photo Editor A stuffed toy in the shape of a cannabisleaf is posed in the grass.

and changing. We may have completely different information in a year from now, especially when it comes to statistics,” Gibson said.

For students who were unable to attend the event but still have questions about legalization, the Student Wellness Centre plans to do more educational events on the subject in the coming months.

“We’re hoping to hold other info fairs and presentations or workshops throughout October and November. We’re just solidifying what those dates are going to look like, but we want to be sure to have that information out so that people can come to workshops and presentations,” Gibson said.

In addition to information events, those who are concerned

about their own substance use or who struggle with addiction are encouraged to check out counselling services, which are also available through the Student Wellness Centre.

“When it comes to substance misuse — or if people want to talk to someone about their use of any substance — there [are] non-judgemental, quite open counsellors at [the] Student Wellness [Centre] that are really great to talk to, and they can be a great resource to either help you here on campus or link you to other resources that might be beneficial,” Gibson said.

More information about cannabis harm reduction from the Student Wellness Centre can be found at usask.ca/stayhealthy.

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Up in Smoke: The best stoner comedies to binge watch in honour of legalization day

Paranoia setting in? Take the edge off with these hilarious weed-themed comedies.

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Legalized lullabies: Topical tunes for your tranquil trips ASHLYNN WEISBERG

KIAHNA RISLING

Whether you want an excuse to chow down on some brownies and enjoy the amazing works of Seth Rogen or you just want to avoid studying, there are some amazing weed-inspired comedies out there for you.

Whether or not you agree with the passage of the new legislation, there’s no denying that there are some pretty funny cannabis-related movies out there. It can even be argued that marijuana is the heart of the comedy-film industry — so grab your bong or rolling papers and let’s get right down to it.

September marked the 25th anniversary of Dazed and Confused. This film is a coming-of-age story that focuses on a group of highschool burnouts celebrating their last day of school. Unfortunately, the movie can’t be found on Netflix, but if you can find it in your local bargain bin, it’s worth a watch.

What about Cheech and Chong, man? Sure, many grass-smoking movies have hit the scene since, but most of us can agree that these films are the originators of the genre. The dynamic red-eyed duo paved the future for the normalization of marijuana movies when they hit the screens in the early 1970s.

Seth Rogen, someone whose name would most likely appear beside cannabis in the dictionary, can be found in almost any film that features the appearance of a joint. Rogen be found starring in 21st century cult classics such as This is the End, Pineapple Express, Neighbors and Knocked Up. All of these movies freely show the use of marijuana, with tons of hilarity throughout. While in theatres, Pineapple Express made $101,624,843 worldwide.

Clearly, audiences enjoy the genre or are at least willing to

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Legalization is finally here, and along with blunts and bongs, an appropriate playlist is essential for your Purple Haze pleasure.

With marijuana legally on the market, you’re going to need some top-notch tunes to before you light up. Luckily, the Sheaf has you covered.

Perhaps you’ve never even heard of terms like Sour Diesel — and no, I’m not referring to the Zayn Malik song — puffing the dragon, taking a toke or Granddaddy Purple, and in this respect, legalization may feel a bit overwhelming. While I can’t provide you with a dope dictionary, I can ease your transition by slowing things down a bit.

Full of reverbial loops, unorthodox tones and calm tempos, these tunes bring classic psychedelic melodies into a contemporary light. So roll that blunt of righteous bush, take a rip, and relish in these resonant rhythms.

Supplied / Wikimedia Commons Actor Seth Rogen, star of the stoner-comedy Pineapple Express.

look past the green haze.

Recalling this years’ release of Super Troopers 2, legalization marks a perfect time to return to the original movie.

If you still have a DVD player kicking around, it’s time to dust off the disc. If not, Super Troopers can be streamed on Netflix. The story of five below-average, prankster Vermont state troopers is one worth watching for the belly laughs alone.

Are you truly Canadian if you haven’t watched at least one episode of the ridiculous show Trailer Park Boys?

What some would consider a Canadian classic, TPB started with television and has since emerged in the film industry as well. If you’re looking for some variety outside of weed, this show also covers excessive rum and coke consumption, general Nova Scotian redneckery and hilarious petty-criminal schemes.

Marijuana has taken the television scene by storm.

Weeds, an addictive show about a middle-aged widow who sells pot in order to support her family, is definitely a binge-worthy watch.

Another Netflix Original on the slightly quirkier side is Disjointed — a story about a lifelong advocate for legalization who is able to follow her dreams and open a dispensary in California. If you’re looking for some entertainment that’s outright weird, Ruth and her Los Angeles “budtenders” are for you.

Finally, if cooking shows are more your scene, Cooking on High, the first-ever competitive cannabis cook-off show, is worth taking a bite out of — even if it’s not technically a comedy.

Regardless of which of these titles you choose, it’s guaranteed to serve as a good distraction with commitment-free laughs, whether you’re a wake-and-bake smoker or a legalization skeptic.

OPINIONS

The business of cannabis: Who’s profiting?

The Sheaf explores who’s benefiting from legalization and who might be paying for it.

ANA CRISTINA CAMACHO STAFF WRITER

From the government to licensed producers and independent retailers, it’s easy to imagine that many people will profit from legalization. More likely than not, however, the industry won’t be the quick cash grab that many are hoping for. It’s uncharted territory, and the road to profit won’t be straightforward.

Legalization will most likely be lucrative for those who have already gotten their feet in the door. Saskatchewan received 51 retail permits — some of them were given to companies and others to entrepreneurs. The opening of the new stores is expected to create job opportunities, not only at the retail level

OPINIONS

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but also at the production level.

These retail permits are a coveted commodity — Cierra Sieben-Chuback, owner of Living Skies Cannabis, received offers to buy off her permit and says people were referring to them as “golden tickets.” The comparison is understandable, since the store owners will be the first legal providers of a product in high demand. It could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, but it’s difficult to know for sure how much they will be able to profit at first.

Pot is expected to receive heavy sin taxes to control consumption growth in the legalized age group. This wouldn’t necessarily be a problem — the alcohol industry proves it is not necessarily damning for store owners — if it weren’t for illegal

dealers. If prices are too high, people will just keep going to dealers, whose prices are not controlled by taxes.

Legal pot prices are also expected to be high initially thanks to shortages in supply — not being able to meet demand is already a problem in Saskatoon and is considered to be the reason why no shops are likely to be open in the city on legalization day.

Cannabis retailers are likely looking at a few years of supply shortages as well as difficulties establishing themselves in the market before the industry balances itself out. The government, on the other hand, is already profiting from legalization.

From costly permits to increased tax revenue and reduced incarceration expenses, the govern-

ment will benefit all throughout the process.

Where will that money go? One group of students from the University of Alberta is trying to get their provincial government to commit to putting all cannabis tax revenue into mental-health and addiction programs, echoing wider concerns about the impact that legalization will have on health resources.

Looking at the precedent set by our southern neighbours, Colorado “saw a 23 per cent increase in potrelated emergency room visits” in the first few months after cannabis was legalized in the state, according to Global News. In Canada’s health-care system, investing in minimizing cannabis-related health issues could eventually benefit the population in the form of lower taxes.

Consumers will benefit from having a legal and reliable source of cannabis, but they will probably have to deal with higher prices until supply meets demand.

Retailers will eventually profit from the new industry, but how many will close before they get

Jaymie Stachyruk / Graphics Editor

there? The government will see increased tax and permit income but at the probable cost of a burden on health care.

In the end, no one really knows what’s going to happen — it remains to be seen who will profit from legalization and who will be left behind in the process.

As Sieben-Chuback says about the uncertainty surrounding the new industry, “There are other places in the world that have done this before, but the Saskatoon market is very unique — it’s a guessing game at this point.”

Addressing the myth that cannabis cures all What does research say about the healing powers of cannabis?

ERIN MATTHEWS OPINIONS EDITOR

The narrative surrounding the medicinal qualities of cannabis is one that has been circulating for a decade, with bolder claims surfacing every year. It would appear that cannabis is what the healthcare industry has been searching for: the pharmacological Holy Grail.

However, digging beneath the surface of many of these claims yields nothing more than myth and misinformation. You might be familiar with some of the medicinal properties of cannabis and the claims of its ability to ease symptoms of epilepsy or pain, which have been heavily researched.

Increasingly, cannabis is also being promoted as a complementary medicine in cancer treatments, with web-based resources like The Truth About Cancer calling cannabis a herbal chemo agent. With featured articles that include how to detox with iodine, the information found on this website appears to be quite unreliable, but it could be convincing for people without a background in science.

Another easily accessible resource that might appear legitimate is the United Patients Group, an organization from California that aims to guide patients through the medicinal cannabis system. They, too, have published claims of THC curing cancer.

The UPG was created after the founder’s father-in-law was able to mitigate the symptoms of his stage 4 cancer with a treatment of THC-infused coconut oil capsules. Their big claim is that THC can kill the cancer cells by triggering their self-destruct mechanism — something referred to as apoptosis.

There is currently not enough evidence to back up claims like these, yet they persist. UPG goes even further, claiming that cannabis will help treat a host of illnesses, including hemophilia — a genetic blood-clotting disorder — and viral illnesses like herpes and hepatitis.

Where has this misinformation come from? It is clear that the chemicals inside the cannabis plant have potential therapeutic and pharmaceutical applications, but evidence-based research has been slow and involves a lot of bureaucratic hurdles — leading

to a lot of unanswered questions.

Unfortunately, the information we do have is often misinterpreted and embellished.

At the University of Saskatchewan, Dr. Robert Laprairie is an assistant professor in the College of Pharmacy and Nutrition who also works with GlaxoSmithKline in drug discovery and research. His main focus is on drug discovery for the cannabinoid receptors — ­ CB1 and CB2 — in what is known as the body’s endogenous cannabinoid system.

“The drugs I am working on have implications for a wide range of diseases, from epilepsy to pain to Huntington’s and more, but we know very little about the receptor itself,” Laprairie said.

“We just want understand how best to design a drug that targets that receptor.”

While there are controlled clinical trials that demonstrate cannabidiol, or CBD, is an effective treatment of pediatric epilepsy, Laprairie believes that research for other illnesses has a long way to go before they can collect similarly supporting evidence.

“I think that we have a little bit of evidence for a lot of different things, and that’s problematic,” Laprairie said. “I think we are go-

Riley Deacon / Photo Editor A lab in the Health Sciences building on the U of S campus.

ing to find [that], when we push to understand where cannabis is and is not effective, we are going to find a lot of places where the evidence just doesn’t exist.”

Laprairie hopes that legalization will stimulate this kind of research, decrease the stigma and open up more opportunities for clinical trials where we can truly measure the effectiveness of cannabinoids in the treatment of illnesses. And Laprairie isn’t alone — he is part of the Cannabinoid Research Initiative of Saskatchewan, a large interdisciplinary group on campus that is the first of its kind.

“It’s all the way from plant to policy and everything in be-

tween,” Laprairie said. “It allows us to bridge research from agriculture, economic and health spheres.”

Laprairie is certain that CRIS has allowed the researchers to get a lot of work off the ground that would have been impossible to do if they were working as separate units.

Cannabis clearly shows promise in the pharmacological implications of the substance, but there is work to be done. Legalization will help to demystify cannabis, help researchers understand the potential positive impact of cannabis on our health and, hopefully, help the public separate evidence from speculation.

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What’s left to be desired post legalization?

Cannabis is in the clear — but we’re still hazy as to when and where.

NICK HAWRISHOK

Canada has legalized cannabis after 95 years of criminal classification. Although we are only the second country in the world — after Uruguay — to do so, this move seems long overdue. The War on Drugs, as we’ve known it, has been a resounding failure — promoting destructive, racist, punitive and generally counterproductive policies.

Legalization appears to be a step in the right direction. The prohibition of pot was historically grounded in racist logic, and more recently, it was solidified through misinformation and fear. Ultimately, this has led to the harmful stigmatization of a rather benign drug that has been helpful and pleasurable to many.

During the prohibition of cannabis, statistics in the last decade show that possession arrests have disproportionately affected minority populations and vulnerable communities, though research has shown that consumption of the drug is similar across racial groups.

The current regulations surrounding legalization leave something to be desired. This is true for a number of areas — to varying degrees — across the country, as each province largely dictates

their own policies. Policies range from significant to ridiculous, with Quebec going so far as to prohibit the graphic depiction of cannabis on non-cannabis products, such as T-shirts and posters, with a first-time offence garnering a minimum fine of $2,500.

Saskatchewan, for its part, seems to have a rather typical set of regulations — though not without points of contention.

The province is allowing only the federal minimum of 4 plants per household, and public consumption is prohibited, which means that those who do not own a home may have no place to smoke the drug in private.

Additionally, landlords and condo boards have the ability to restrict cannabis use in their rental units. Currently, in Saskatoon, there are no plans to allocate safe public spaces to the consumption of cannabis.

Outside of government-imposed restrictions, private companies are putting their own mark on post-legalization Canada.

For example, both Air Canada and WestJet are banning some employees from using cannabis while off duty. The Calgary police force has a similar ban for all officers who are qualified to use a handgun and available for duty.

However, bans such as these are susceptible to Charter challenges.

The above regulations have serious implications on the freedom Canadians will have to enjoy cannabis after legalization, but they pale in comparison to the new impaired driving laws. Bill C-46, which reformed legislation on alcohol-impaired and drug-impaired driving, uses a set THC blood level as low as 2 nanograms per millilitre of blood to determine the level of impairment.

A universal standard works fine for alcohol but is arbitrary concerning cannabis. That is because the drug is fat soluble — unlike alcohol, which is water soluble.

THC is essentially soaked up by fatty tissues in the body.

As a result, heavy users can test for high amounts despite a lack of recent consumption, while occasional users may test very low, even if they have recently used the drug. Linking blood-content levels to impairment is very difficult in the case of marijuana and will likely result in unjust charges and imprisonment.

The effects of driving drunk are well studied and understood, and while it may be tempting to apply the same standards to cannabis, it would be misguided to do so.

Simply put, punishments for cannabis-impaired driving as well as restrictions for employees need to be informed by the realities of the substance.

Aqsa Hussain Books in the U of S Law Library.

Legalization should be celebrated as a progressive and just decision. However, overly restrictive policies still need to be questioned and challenged.

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Like it or not, I will continue to say stoner

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Terriann Walling & george gerard

Why political correctness shouldn’t be necessary in the marijuana debate.

WYATT BERNIER

In April, Los Angeles-based marijuana company MedMen ran a $2-million ad campaign to deter people from using the word stoner. They displayed billboards showing teachers, police officers, CEOs, athletes and even nurses with the word stoner crossed out underneath them.

This campaign aimed to remove the stigma and negative connotations surrounding the word stoner, which perpetuates the 70s-era stereotype of marijuana users as lazy or unsuccessful.

The words we use to describe groups of people have an impact on how they are perceived in society, and in some cases, I agree that we should watch our language and phase out harmful words so as not to alienate or negatively impact vulnerable demographics.

But are cannabis users a vulnerable demographic? Is it now

14 / OPINIONS

necessary to update the surrounding terminology?

Whether or not one uses marijuana is fundamentally a personal choice. Despite current research into the biological predisposition toward drug use and addictions, it is still a conscious decision for which we are responsible, just as with any of our other actions.

Additionally, there is no universal consensus on the wide use and legalization of marijuana. Weed is still a very controversial topic in Canada. The fact that it will now be legal to use the drug speaks very little about popular opinion, especially on the Prairies.

A survey from Dalhousie University in Halifax, N.S., showed that while 68 per cent of Canadians support marijuana legalization, that number is lowest on the Prairies at 54 per cent.

In the spirit of good debate, I believe that both sides of this argument should be able to use the words that align with their views. Terms that carry positive

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connotations help to communicate pro-marijuana arguments, while negative connotations are better at conveying views against marijuana.

Stoner is defined by most dictionaries as someone who habitually uses drugs, specifically marijuana. So if your opinion on weed is that it’s an addictive illicit substance rather than a medical substance, maybe stoner is a good word to use.

Political correctness has no place being inserted into a topic as

controversial as marijuana. Everyone has a different opinion they want to share, and they should be allowed to use the words that fit their needs.

If cannabis supporters want to sway the public to their side, they can do so through open and honest debate. Getting rid of negative words does not get rid of negative opinions, and nitpicking about labels under the false pretense of being offensive or politically incorrect is just plain lazy.

langhorsT & Joanna lilley Saskatoon Launch

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Bottle It In By Kurt Vile Tanner Bayne

DISTRACTIONS

Whether it be of the air or of the mind, there’s a certain haziness that hovers nearby this time of year. While some would try to fight it, Kurt Vile — who is no stranger to walking through this pretty daze himself — uses his latest record, Bottle It In, to encourage listeners to float along with it instead.

Featuring Vile’s distinctive lilting vocals and weightless lyrics, Bottle It In is a breezy, meandering psychedelic-rock record that tells you to just take a breath and go with the flow — literally. Listen to “Rollin’ with the Flow,” and you’ll soon drift through this diurnal daze.

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Ines Jobin

Complete this crossword and submit it to us with your contact information for a chance to win Sheaf swag! You can submit your completed puzzle in a few ways: - Post a photo of your completed crossword to Instagram and tag the Sheaf @usasksheaf.

- Send in a photo of your crossword to outreach@thesheaf.com.

- Swing by the Sheaf Office (Room 108 in the MUB) during office hours and drop off your crossword.

- If you’d rather not say hello, slide your card under the Sheaf Office door.

Down: 1. You only need a hash pipe 2. Chocolate antelope 3. Karen’s husband died 4. Grilled ______ 5. Unit of measure 6. “Reefer” but misspelled as a result of the crossword editor’s reportedly cannabis-induced state while building this puzzle 7. Our planet, the original gangster 8. Sigourney Weaver’s breakout film 9. High Voltage

Across: 1. Old-school science 2. What you’ll go trying to complete this puzzle 3. If Mr. Clean smoked you down 4. Second book in the Old Testament 5. Italian soft-serve 6. Sour smelling 7. Kush of the shortcake variety 8. Sad Smaug

DISTRACTIONS / 15

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