Pubdate: Tue, 14 Apr 2015
Source: Comox Valley Echo (CN BC)
Copyright: 2015 Comox Valley Echo
Contact:  http://www.mapinc.org/media/785
Author: Drew A. Penner

AVICC HOLDS TALK ON WASHINGTON STATE'S POT LEGALIZATION VOTE

Delegates consider the finer points of a pro-pot campaign

Washington's weed warrior gives politicians something to put in their
pipe and smoke

The ganja smoke hung thick in the air over the hall packed with
red-eyed delegates from up and down British Columbia's West Coast who
had gathered to ponder how to "free the weed." Not.

In fact, the mayors, councillors and industry reps attending the
Association of Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities (AVICC)
conference session about the success of Washington State's marijuana
legalization drive might as well have been listening to a corporate
marketing presentation about a new product or a slick Power Point
slide-show on urban planning metrics.

"Lets just talk about the elephant in the room," said Tonia S.
Winchester, former deputy campaign director of Washington State's
Initiative 502 which brought in legal marijuana to BC's southern
neighbour, asking audience members to shout out various monikers for
cannabis. "For the last 75 years we have been so focused on the plant
itself, and all the puns that surround the plant...we're forgetting
that prohibition has had negative consequences on our
communities."

In order to combat organized crime and fight drug trafficking while
raising tax revenue, Initiative 502 organizers focused on coalition
building to push the paradigm shift that legal weed holds the answer.

The role of weed crusader is an unexpected spot for Winchester to find
herself in. Born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska, she was president of
the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) chapters at her junior
high and high schools.

"I felt that if you used marijuana you were one step away from using
heroin or other drugs," she said in an interview. "I avoided it like
the plague."

She became a prosecutor in Washington and started locking people up
for marijuana offences. But something didn't feel right.

"I realized that I had a stack of domestic violence cases on my desk
and I was spending more time prosecuting marijuana possession than I
was focusing on the domestic violence cases where someone was actually
injured," she said. "I felt that was a misuse of my time and energy as
a prosecutor and that citizens wouldn't really appreciate that if they
knew what was happening."

She joined the team to make weed legal in her state and later started
working for Tilray, the large marijuana production facility on
Vancouver Island.

Washington took a different approach to appealing to voters for
support, Winchester told delegates.

Instead of pushing weed as a drug with less harmful effects than
alcohol, the 502 team got endorsements and ran commercials around the
concept that ending prohibition was a public safety initiative.

That's not the only thing that's different between the two states.
Colorado grossed $76 million (netting $44 million) in the last
calendar year thanks to marijuana. Winchester said Washington likely
made about $2.7 million last year from weed (although she projects
that will jump to $236-276 million over the next two years).

Residents and business there have complained about a lack (and then
glut) of product and an onerous tax regime that has actually
encouraged the development of a "grey" weed market. Winshester admits
there has been controversy, but says good things take time.

"We're at least progressing forward and not stuck with the status
quo," she said. "As frustrating as it may seem that things aren't
happening faster, we're taking a pragmatic approach and going
step-by-step through what needs to happen."

Comox Valley municipalities have all considered the implications of
the current medical marijuana production regime on community planning.

Cumberland is the most open to seeing a cannabis production facility
opening in its borders. Comox and the regional district both have
provisions that would allow this kind of development in some areas.
Courtenay has said no way.

Following the AVICC presentation, Courtenay councillor Rebecca Lennox
said a second look might be a good idea.

"Bringing industry to the Valley that's sustainable and semi-green
would be a great step," she said, noting tax revenue could be directed
towards fixing water and sewer infrastructure. "This is something I
think we should be open to in the future."
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MAP posted-by: Matt