Pubdate: Wed, 26 Sep 2012
Source: Record, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2012 Lower Mainland Publishing Group Inc.
Contact:  http://www.royalcityrecord.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1654

THE CHORUS OF VOICES IS RISING IN POT DEBATE

Municipal leaders from around the province are in Victoria this week, 
discussing everything from the RCMP contract to tsunami debris, 
recycling programs and water issues, but what will garner the most 
headlines today (and has had everyone talking all week) is the vote 
on a resolution for decriminalizing marijuana.

Make no mistake: municipalities have no power to change these laws 
themselves. What they're debating at the annual Union of B.C. 
Municipalities, and what they'll be voting on today, is whether or 
not to call for the "appropriate government to decriminalize 
marijuana and research the regulation and taxation of marijuana."

CORD That's a fancy way of saying they'd put pressure on the feds in 
Ottawa to review the current legislation and make some changes.

It's high time the question was reexamined, and we applaud the 
municipal leaders for putting it on the front burner. The fact that 
it's on the agenda at all reflects the growing recognition that the 
current approach isn't working - and worse, is causing harm, costing 
a lot of money and filling up prisons along the way.

Our own Mayor Wayne Wright has deftly avoided taking a stand one way 
or another in the past, but our story last week about a medical 
marijuana dispensary opening up in New Westminster certainly shows 
there's a long way to go here in the Royal City: Wright said in no 
uncertain terms it would not be opening up, while the police stated 
there was no legal provision for such a facility.

But the tide is turning. New West's own former MLA Graeme Bowbrick, a 
one-time attorney general, came out earlier this year in favour of 
legislation changes alongside a number of other former AGs.

And with this week's UBCM debate and vote, more voices are joining 
the chorus. Perhaps it's time to listen.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom