The routine back operation Bob Deslauriers had in 1987 was supposed to fix damage wrought by a rugby-playing youth. Two decades after the fact, it nearly killed him.

The 58-year-old unknowingly received a tainted blood transfusion during the surgery, and 18 years later discovered the resulting hepatitis C infection had virtually destroyed his liver.

A transplant last year saved Deslauriers’ life, but by the time he left hospital, the engineer and former corporate CEO had another problem: He was on so much opioid painkiller, he could do little but blankly stare at the TV.

Instead of popping two aspirins, you can now light up a joint at work – if you have a medical marijuana prescription.

Medical marijuana users with a doctor’s prescription are exempt from the laws that prohibit cigarette smoking and e-cigarette vaping in most public places in Ontario, Associate Minister of Health and Long-Term Care, Dipika Damerla, explained on Wednesday.

“The law allows for an exemption because someone needs it for a medical purpose … It’s about negotiating. It’s about balancing the rights,” she said.

But Damerla said the legislation that allows for the exemption also permits business owners and employers to “override the exemption.”

TORONTO — Medical marijuana users in Ontario are now legally able to use vaporizers just about anywhere in the province.

The Liberal government quietly exempted them this week from a law that bans the use of e-cigarettes anywhere regular cigarettes are prohibited. It means medical marijuana users can vaporize in restaurants, at work or on playgrounds.

Associate Health Minister Dipika Damerla said under the exemption for medical marijuana users, employers or restaurant owners could still ban them from smoking on the premises.

"If it's bothering somebody, find another place to go and smoke," she said Wednesday.

Government-run weed stores are not necessary, reply marijuana advocates, after OPSEU boss suggests keeping it in state hands following legalization.

TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / November 23, 2015 / Matica Enterprises Inc. (CSE: MMJ) (Frankfurt: 39NF) (OTC PINK: MQPXF) ("Matica" or the "Company") announces that the Company has filed a Notice of Civil Claim in the Vancouver Registry of the Supreme Court of British Columbia naming THC Dispensaries Canada Inc. ("THCD"), Francis MacMaster, CEO of THCD and other related parties as Defendants in an effort to recoup funds and other damages suffered by Matica as a result of numerous breaches by the Defendants of the October 7th, 2014 Investment Agreement ("the Agreement").

The movement for a world united by Cannabis began, in 1969,when Walter Tucker (1932-2012) founded the Church of the Universe in Ontario, Canada. Within 46 years the movement had grown to an estimated 90 million members, far surpassing many other organized religions across the globe.

The Church of the Universe holds the Tree of Life, Marijuana as sacred from the Garden of Eden, a gift from God. The church mandate: “…to worship God and live with the the Tree of Life, Marijuana, in harmony with the Universe. We, God’s people, believe that it is our responsibility to defend our right to our sacrament, the Tree of Life, and encourage the worship and adherence to the Law of God to earn the right to the Tree of Life and The Water of Life…”

SMITHS FALLS, ON , Nov. 20, 2015 /CNW/ - Tweed Inc. ("Tweed"), a wholly owned subsidiary of Canopy Growth Corporation ("Canopy Growth" or "the Company") (CGC.V) has successfully renewed its license to produce and sell marijuana under Health Canada's Marihuana for Medical Purposes Regulations (MMPR).

The renewed license, which is valid for 14 months until January 19, 2017 , allows Tweed to produce and sell up to 3,500 kg of dried marijuana. In addition, Health Canada has renewed Tweed's supplemental license to produce fresh marijuana and/or cannabis oil, over the same period.

Courts attempt to divert criminal charges 83% of the time, yet police enforcement is way up

Even though most marijuana possession charges Hamilton police lay are dropped once they get to court, investigators will continue to arrest smokers just like they always have, Police Chief Glenn De Caire says.

"We're going to continue to make the arrests and we're going to continue to lay the charges," De Caire said on The Bill Kelly Show Wednesday, when asked about a CBC story that showed most charges never lead to a plea or conviction.

SMITHS FALLS, ON , Nov. 18, 2015 /CNW/ - Canopy Growth Corporation ("Canopy" or the "Company") (CGC.V), is pleased to announce that it has closed its previously announced short form prospectus offering, on a bought deal basis, including the exercise in full of the underwriters' over-allotment option. A total of 7,012,700 common shares in the capital of the Company (the "Shares") were sold at a price of $2.05 per Share, for aggregate gross proceeds of $14,376,035.00 (the "Offering"). The Offering was underwritten by a syndicate of underwriters led by Dundee Securities Ltd. and including GMP Securities L.P., INFOR Financial Inc.