Pubdate: Thu, 26 Apr 2012
Source: Toronto Star (CN ON)
Copyright: 2012 The Toronto Star
Contact:  http://www.thestar.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/456
Author: Richard J. Brennan
Cited: Stop the Violence BC: http://stoptheviolencebc.org/

B.C. MAYORS WANT MARIJUANA LEGALIZED

Eight British Columbia mayors are calling on the provincial Liberal 
provincial government to legalize cannabis in an effort to reduce 
crime associated with the marijuana trade.

The mayors, including Vancouver's Gregor Robertson, sent a letter 
Thursday to Premier Christy Clark and opposition party leaders urging 
them to support the regulation and taxation of cannabis.

"As mayors of BC municipalities, we are fully aware of the harms 
stemming from the province's large illegal marijuana industry," the 
letter stated. "Our communities have been deeply affected by the 
consequences of marijuana prohibition including large-scale grow-ops, 
increased organized crime and ongoing gang violence.

"It is time to tax and strictly regulate marijuana under a public 
health framework; regulating marijuana would allow the government to 
rationally address the health concerns of marijuana, raise government 
tax revenue and eliminate the huge profits from the marijuana 
industry that flow directly to organized crime."

The mayor's letter comes after a similar plea from four former B.C. 
Attorneys General. Colin Gabelmann, Ujjal Dosanjh, Graeme Bowbrick 
and Geoff Plant also signed a letter to Clark and provincial NDP 
Leader Adrian Dix, calling on the politicians to endorse legalizing, 
taxing and regulating marijuana.

The mayors' letter was sent following several recent motions passed 
by municipal councils supporting a regulatory approach to cannabis 
policy. Most recently, Robertson announced Thursday a motion for 
Vancouver City Council to endorse the Stop the Violence BC campaign 
would be on the council agenda next week.

"Widespread access to marijuana for our youth, grow-ops that provide 
funds for organized crime, and significant costs to taxpayers for 
enforcement are all compelling reasons to re-examine our failed 
approach to prohibition," Robertson stated in a news release.

In their letter, the mayors say their residents are ready for a new 
approach to marijuana policy. They noted that according to Angus 
Reid, 12 per cent of British Columbians support the current approach 
to controlling marijuana compared to 66 per cent who support taxation 
and regulation, the position championed by the Stop the Violence B.C. 
Coalition.

Stop the Violence B.C. is a coalition of law enforcement officials, 
legal experts, public health officials and academic experts from the 
University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University, University 
of Victoria and the University of Northern British Columbia.

"We stand together as B.C. mayors because we think our communities 
will be safer and our children better protected from criminal 
elements if we overturn marijuana prohibition and implement policies 
that strictly regulate the adult use of cannabis," said City of North 
Vancouver Mayor Darrell Mussatto, whose council passed a motion 
supporting the regulation of cannabis on April 23.

Robert Sawatzky, Mayor of Vernon, urged all B.C. mayors to consider 
the escalating costs of prohibition, and "join our efforts to 
implement evidence-based cannabis policies that reflect our 
commitment as municipal leaders to community health and safety."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom