Pubdate: Thu, 02 Feb 2012
Source: Victoria Times-Colonist (CN BC)
Copyright: 2012 Times Colonist
Contact: http://www2.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/letters.html
Website: http://www.timescolonist.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/481
Author: Derek Spalding

METCHOSIN BACKS MOVE TO DECRIMINALIZE MARIJUANA

Political leaders in Metchosin have joined what they see as a growing 
movement to decriminalize, regulate and tax marijuana.

Council members agreed to the three goals when they voted last week 
to send a resolution to the Association of Vancouver Island and 
Coastal Communities convention in April.

Their fellow politicians from the region's municipalities will have 
to discuss the issue during the three-day conference in Ucluelet.

"Marijuana prohibition is a failed policy which has cost millions of 
dollars in police, court, jail and social costs," according to the 
Metchosin resolution.

The rural community of about 5,000 joined the recent groundswell 
created by a similar call to action from across the Strait of Georgia 
last year.

Four high-profile former Vancouver mayors made waves when they too 
called for the decriminalization of marijuana.

Mike Harcourt, Philip Owen, Larry Campbell and Sam Sullivan called on 
all B.C. politicians from every level of government to consider the 
impact of the illicit drug. "Marijuana prohibition is - without 
question - a failed policy," they wrote in a statement issued in November.

Two months later, Metchosin Coun. Moralea Milne raised the issue with 
her council, earning support from four of five politicians.

Only Coun. Larry Tremblay opposed the motion. "This is not the 
message I, personally, want to send to the younger people in my 
municipality," he said.

If delegates support the resolution at the convention, it will go to 
the convention of the Union of B.C. Municipalities in September for 
further discussion.

Milne has no doubt that there is rising support for decriminalizing 
marijuana. She spoke to a packed room of about 200 delegates at last 
year's UBCM.

Milne was given a standing ovation when she said problems with 
marijuana growing operations would disappear if the drug was decriminalized.

"Municipalities' tax dollars are stretched thin, and spending vast 
sums on chasing, and punishing marijuana users, growers and sellers 
is a waste of our police and tax resources," she wrote in an email.

Taxing marijuana can lead to muchneeded revenue for government and 
significant investments in health care, schools, affordable housing, 
the environment or other areas, Milne added.

Metchosin residents raised little opposition to the council's 
decision. Their reaction contrasts sharply with the fierce debate 
surrounding "detached secondary suites," which leads Mayor John Ranns 
to believe that residents support the decision.

UBCM president Heath Slee expects plenty of discussion should the 
resolution make it to his organization's convention.

"If there's highlights to the convention that would be one of them," he said.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom