Pubdate: Thu, 14 Jun 2001
Source: Valley Voice, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2001 The Valley Voice
Page 3
Contact:  http://www.mapinc.org/media/1388
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)

NATIONAL POST LOOKS FOR POT IN THE VALLEY

The Slocan Valley is making national news, this time for its alternative 
economy.  National Post editor-at-large Diane Francis was in the area last 
week to research the "marijuana subculture" in the valley.  She interviewed 
MP Jim Gouk and New Denver mayor Gary Wright, who told her he feels the 
subculture "is as vital a part of our community as anyone else that lives here.

"Fortunately, or unfortunately, many of them go to jail."

Someone convicted of stalking or assault can receive a punishment as little 
as a $1 peace bond, but the penalty for pot growing can be 25 hundred times 
that, Wright said.

"I guess the message is it's cheaper to stalk or beat on someone than to 
smoke vegetables."

Marijuana should be legalized with the same kind of controls as alcohol he 
said, noting that "approximately 40 per cent of the prison population has 
to do with drugs and a majority of that has to do with marijuana."

Gouk, an Alliance MP, is in favour of using marijuana for medical purposes. 
He surveyed people and found about 50% were in favour, the rest were split 
between 'no' and wanting more info.

Asked about decriminalizing marijuana use, Gouk said people tend to react 
to rumours and sometimes inaccurate info.

"Whatever they [constituents] choose I will act accordingly.  I think it's 
time we had public discussion on this subject, providing full info to the 
public and then asking them to make an informed choice. And I will vote on 
any bill according to my constituents, after following that process."

There are pros and cons to both sides of the issue, Gouk added.  Some 
people feel legalization would stop bigger syndicates.  There would be tax 
revenue for drug awareness and treatment.  Another argument is that unlike 
alcohol, marijuana doesn't stimulate aggressiveness.

Gouk is concerned that police can use a breathalyzer to catch drinking 
drivers but would need some kind of testing for marijuana.

He said Francis told him any referendum on marijuana use should be side by 
side with alcohol.

"She believes it's no more dangerous than alcohol."

* The June 9 Vancouver Sun carried an article on how growers could cash in 
on their expertise if medical marijuana is legalized.

The story was on the Kootenays as a whole, not on the Slocan Valley. It 
calls Blair Suffredine, the newly-elected Liberal MLA a "tough-on-drugs 
prosecutor" but notes he tried to orchestrate a bid for the federal 
contract to grow medical marijuana.  He is quoted as saying cocaine and its 
derivatives are used for medicine, so why should pot be excluded.

The Sun also says law enforcement agencies estimate the provincial pot 
market is $8 billion, quadruple BC's total agricultural production.
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MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager