Pubdate: Sun, 21 Apr 2013
Source: North Shore News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2013 North Shore News
Contact:  http://www.nsnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/311
Page: A6

BLAZING A TRAIL

ANOTHER April 20, another 4/20 rally in which recreational pot 
enthusiasts gather en masse, light up their doobies in defiance of 
the man, and let the world know they think marijuana should be legal, 
or at least decriminalized.

It may seem like a juvenile act of insubordination, but the 4/20 
rallies have evolved from futile gatherings and spawned a larger and 
far more credible pro-marijuana legalization campaign. The movement 
to reform the country's ridiculous pot laws now wears a suit or lab 
coat, not a Bob Marley T-shirt.

It has become tedious making the intellectual argument year after 
year that on a legal, public health and safety level our existing 
laws make no sense. But Stop the Violence B.C., the group of 
like-minded doctors, academics and law enforcement professionals 
pushing to legalize the drug, continue to add high-profile names to 
the list of converts willing to go public with their arguments.

According to recent polls released by STVBC, the vast majority of 
British Columbians are on-side with a legalization and taxation model 
for marijuana policy. The rest of Canada is not far behind either.

We've seen a trend of politicians "coming out" as pro-legalization 
only after they're out of office, or supporting it in name only when 
they are trying to get elected. It's the ones in power now who need 
to look at the overwhelming evidence that it's time for reform.

So go ahead and have the rallies, they look like fun. But if the war 
is to be won any time soon, it's going to have to happen in the halls 
of power - and they don't let you smoke in there.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom