Pubdate: Fri, 21 Sep 2012
Source: Edmonton Journal (CN AB)
Copyright: 2012 The Edmonton Journal
Contact: 
http://www.edmontonjournal.com/opinion/letters/letters-to-the-editor.html
Website: http://www.edmontonjournal.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/134
Author: Kevin Drews

POT ADVOCATE PLANS PETITION

VANCOUVER - One of British Columbia's leading marijuana advocates 
says he's going to raise an army of well trained, disciplined 
volunteers for his effort to decriminalize possession and use of 
cannabis by adults.

Elections BC announced Thursday it has approved in principle an 
initiative petition filed by Dana Larsen, who ran unsuccessfully for 
the leadership of B.C.'s New Democrats.

Larsen's draft bill, entitled the Sensible Policing Act, would amend 
the Police Act, and prohibit the use of provincial police resources 
to enforce simple possession-and-use laws for adults.

It also asks the province to call upon the federal government to 
repeal marijuana prohibition laws or give B.C. an exemption.

Elections BC announced it will issue the petition Nov. 19, giving 
Larsen 90 days to collect the signatures of more than 10 per cent of 
registered voters in each of B.C.'s 85 electoral districts.

However, Larsen said he won't be gathering signatures this fall.

Instead, he'll use the petition to generate attention and gather 
volunteers to find, train, excite and mobilize "an army of 
well-trained disciplined signature gatherers."

He said he will submit another application in September 2013 and then 
begin the process of collecting signatures.

"It is a very difficult procedure, absolutely," he said in an 
interview. "It's a big challenge. That's why we're doing it in this 
unique way of spending a year in advance to build support and build 
up our volunteer base.

"I am very confident that far more than 10 per cent of the registered 
voters in every riding of the province support decriminalization of cannabis."

Attorney General and Justice Minister Shirley Bond was unavailable 
for an interview, but said in a statement that she recognizes the 
initiative process is available to any registered voter in B.C.

"However, I have confidence that our Police Act currently meets our 
public safety responsibility to communities right across the province."

She also noted that her government had no authority to make decisions 
on decriminalization.

"What it means is that unless Canadian law is changed, the 
production, sale and use of marijuana is currently illegal and 
controlled by federal legislation and our police have a 
responsibility to enforce the Criminal Code."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom