Pubdate: Fri, 21 Jul 2000 Source: Chilliwack Times Contact: Patty Hutton THIS BUD'S FOR YOU Chilliwack Radiologist Norm Siefken Is The Marijuana Party's Main Man In The Valley When the next federal election rolls along, Fraser Valley residents will have one more political party to choose from. Norm Siefken, 42, has announced he's the official Fraser Valley Candidate for the newly-formed marijuana party. And he's not just blowing smoke. Siefken said the party will get the minimum required 50 candidates to run, enough to make the marijuana party an official political organization for the next election. "The Marijuana Party is a very serious party," Siefken said. "This is the first time in Canadian History we will see a Marijuana Party running. In the past, candidates(who supported marijuana legalization) ran as independents." Siefken, and his party, say it's time marijuana use was legalized in Canada, claiming the laws are outdated and the cash crop could be managed and taxed much like the distribution of booze. "If they treated it like alcohol and set up stores like liquor stores where only adults could buy it, then it could be taxed. It could create $20 billion in new revenue." Siefken said the underground marijuana industry is estimated to be bigger than the forestry industry in British Columbia. It's estimated that illegal grow-ops and the selling of the crop generates about $10 billion a year. Meanwhile, authorities spend more than $3 billion a year fighting the war on drugs. "At this point in time there is no rational reason to continue the war on pot," he added. The Marijuana Party believes, once legalized, taxes raised through the legal selling of pot could do a wealth of good to Canada's financial woes; especially helping out health care while creating tax cuts. "Right now, only the gangs are getting richer," Siefken said. "I see the people on the waiting lists and the government is telling everybody we have to have the waiting lists because the money just isn't there. But the money is there." Siefken works as a medical radiation technologist at three Fraser Valley hospitals and also legally uses medical marijuana for pain relief after suffering severe back injuries five years ago. He's part of the Vancouver Compassion Club where he takes a medical prescription from his doctor to be filled. He claims he's not a recreational drug user and hardly drinks. "I am especially excited about the economic advantages of decriminalizing marijuana for adults," he said. "The billions of dollars in tax revenue from this multi-billion dollar industry will be split between personal income tax cuts and new funding to improve health care, education, and social services." - --- MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager