On April 4, 2011 in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, Justice D. J. Taliano in the case of Regina versus Mernagh handed down a decision supporting on individual’s rights to access medical marijuana.  Although the medical use of marijuana has been legal in Canada since 2001, the Marihuana Medical Access Regulations (MMAR) program has […]

First Nations in British Columbia passed a historic resolution to assume greater control and decision-making over their health and wellness. 146 of the 167 Chiefs and representatives in attendance (87%) voted in favour of the resolution which will make BC First Nations the first in Canada to take over health service delivery from the federal […]

By Andy Soos, ENN As our love affair with coffee grows, findings have historically been contradictory as to whether coffee has any specific health benefits, and results are similarly conflicting regarding the potentially harmful effects of coffee consumption. Men who regularly drink coffee appear to have a lower risk of developing a lethal form of […]

A $68.7-million health-promotion program — Healthy Families BC strategy — could help offset the cost of gym memberships for British Columbians. The first program launched in the strategy, the $24-million Prescription for Health program, will give B.C. doctors additional tools to conduct medical assessments and work with patients to develop a health promotion and illness […]

Your life is already tense — teens rebelling, house under renovation, work life in overload, bills piling up, elderly parents declining — yet the demands requiring your attention and time continue to grow, overflowing into sleep-time territory. Oftentimes, mass marketing’s solutions to women’s challenging lifestyles focus on quick fixes and more consumer goods. But ask […]

Castlegar women struggling with domestic abuse may find it easier to get help, after the signing of the Domestic Violence Accord tomorrow. Thursday will see representatives from fully 20 local organizations and agencies gathered at the Community Forum, signing off on 20 protocols that offer clear action plans in the event a woman experiencing violence […]

The Canadian Cancer Society B.C. and Yukon today congratulated Premier Christy Clark and Opposition Leader Adrian Dix for agreeing to put forward legislation that would protect the health of children and families by banning the sale and use of cosmetic pesticides in British Columbia.  “This is a big step forward for cancer prevention in our […]

By Charles Ornstein and Tracy Weber SAN FRANCISCO — From the time they arrived to the moment they laid their heads on hotel pillows, the thousands of cardiologists attending this week’s Heart Rhythm Society conference have been bombarded with pitches for drugs and medical devices. St. Jude Medical adorns every hotel key card. Medtronic ads […]

Sometimes the biggest culprits for adding unwanted calories to our diet when we’re trying to lose weight are the drinks we’re consuming! Not being very substantial, and often “refreshing”, many high calorie drinks sneak past our health radar, undetected. And before you know it, you just can’t seem to drop that last 5, or 10 […]

With the West Kootenay having become fertile soil for many innovative food system initiatives, another project is now underway which hopes to build the capacity within the West Kootenay to form a regional food system organization. Often referred to as ‘food councils,’ ’roundtables,’ ‘networks’ or ‘coalitions,’ hundreds of these types of regional organizations do already […]