Pubdate: Mon, 10 Feb 2014
Source: Georgia Straight, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2014 The Georgia Straight
Contact:  http://www.straight.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1084
Author: Travis Lupick

SENSIBLE B.C. RETURNS WITH A VICTORIA RALLY TO REFORM MARIJUANA LAWS

ORGANIZERS MAY HAVE failed to bring about a referendum on B.C.
marijuana laws in 2013, but Dana Larsen says that doesn't mean the
fight to decriminalize pot is over.

"Sensible B.C. is not going away," the campaign director told the
Straight. "Two hundred thousand people signed on to show their support
for this and polls show that it is something that British Columbians
want to have happen."

A rally is scheduled for tomorrow (February 11) outside the B.C.
legislature in Victoria to coincide with the convening of the fortieth
parliament. The protest will happen from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., with
Larsen estimating that around 100 people will be in attendance.

"This is the opening of the legislature, and we want our MLAs and the
government to know that the people of British Columbia want to see
sensible marijuana laws and that we're tired of seeing our taxpayer
dollars going to pay police to bust our kids for smoking pot," he said.

Larsen revealed that he's also in the process of scheduling meetings
with MLAs representing the three major political parties.

"It would be nice if we had a champion in the House," he added. "The
NDP and the Liberals, while there are some individual MLAs who signed
and are on board, as institutions, neither party is really willing to
fundamentally address marijuana issues at a provincial level."

Larsen said he feels the push for a referendum went a long way in
building up an effective network of activists and volunteers that's
now preparing for a second attempt to reform laws governing the
handling of marijuana in B.C.

"We're going to keep pushing on this issue," he emphasized. "It's a
big issue in British Columbia, and just because we couldn't overcome
the very challenging referendum system, that doesn't mean we're going
away."  
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D