Pubdate: Thu, 05 Mar 2009
Source: Gauntlet, The (CN AB Edu)
Copyright: 2009 Gauntlet Publications Society.
Contact:  http://gauntlet.ucalgary.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2652
Author: Aendrew Rininsland
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?233 (Law Enforcement Against Prohibition)
Cited: NORML Canada http://norml.ca/

MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION AT THE PUBLIC LIBRARY

Drug reform activists and members of the community discussed cannabis 
legalization at the Calgary Public Library theatre last Friday.

Sponsored by the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana 
Laws Canada and Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, the event was 
part of a cross-Canada tour designed to build public awareness of 
drug law issues and construct a policy document to be presented to 
the federal government later this year.

"We've been asking a lot of people what models they think are 
appropriate for legal cannabis and the most common answer is the 
alcohol model," said NORML Canada executive director Marc-Boris 
St-Maurice, who moderated the event. "You can make beer and wine at 
home, but if you want to sell it, you have to meet certain criteria, 
with some differences. Obviously beer is not marijuana, but generally 
that's what we've been hearing most and that's probably the model we 
should be looking at."

On the panel was writer and editor Lisa Kirkman, local activist Keith 
Fagin, former police officer and Libertarian Party of Canada leader 
Dennis Young, legalization advocate Jim Hilsenteger and federal 
medicinal cannabis recipient Grant Cluff.

While all panelists were in favour of changing the existing laws in 
some way, much of the evening revolved around actual implementation 
of new policy.

Discussions highlighted the economic, medicinal and social justice 
factors surrounding the plant.

"In the States, there are over four million children whose parents 
are in prison on a drug-related charge," said Hilsenteger, who argued 
that the American-led war on drugs is extremely costly for our 
system. "[Children with parents in prison] have a seven-to-one chance 
of ending up in prison themselves," he added.

Calgary was the seventh stop in the 14-city tour, which wraps up its 
first run later this month.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom