Newshawk: Herb
Pubdate: Wed, 15 Feb 2012
Source: Terrace Standard (CN BC)
Copyright: 2012 Terrace Standard
Contact:  http://www.terracestandard.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1329

MP SAYS POT LAWS SHOULD REFLECT SOCIETY

SKEENA BULKLEY VALLEY NDP MP Nathan Cullen continues his campaign to 
be leader of his party by saying marijuana should be decriminalized.

"Prohibition clearly has not achieved its goals and it's time our laws 
stopped criminalizing people whom society does not see as criminals," 
said Cullen in response to a questionnaire from NDP members who want 
marijuana to be legalized.

He also favoured increasing access to marijuana for medicinal use.

Cullen also backed InSite, a supervised drug injection site in 
Vancouver, saying it reduces crime, saves lives and reduces drug dependence.

"Society benefits from the approach used in Vancouver, which focuses 
on harm reduction. We don't benefit from the expensive approach to 
crime shown by the Harper government, which has demonstrably failed 
where embraced in the United States," Cullen said in response to a 
questionnaire from a group of NDP members called End Prohibition: NDP 
Against the Drug War.

"I would be very supportive of harm reduction programs like InSite, 
and reducing the police and court resources used to prosecute 
marijuana possession. However, I believe enforcement has a role, 
particularly at the border," Cullen continued.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper's government has failed to close the 
InSite location after the Supreme Court of Canada ruled its benefits 
outweighed banning the possession of illegal drugs on its premises.

Cullen is one of eight people running for the leadership of the 
federal NDP, a post which became open following the death of Jack 
Layton late last summer.

Three of the candidates who responded called for taxation and 
regulation of marijuana.

End Prohibition was begun by Dana Larsen who also had a hand in 
forming federal and provincial Marijuana Parties. He was also a 
candidate for the provincial NDP leadership last year.

"Simply put, Canadians do not want to increase penalties for 
marijuana, they do not want to continue to waste money jailing people 
for a handful of marijuana plants for personal use, and they want to 
see alternatives to this costly and unjustified war Mr. Harper is 
waging on marijuana and harm reduction," said Larsen in a press release.
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