Pubdate: Fri, 28 Sep 2012
Source: Parksville Qualicum Beach News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2012 Black Press
Contact: http://mapinc.org/url/5n7vJzqp
Website: http://drugsense.org/url/zLXtMKI5
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1361
Author: Neil Horner

POT PROPOSAL 'A GOOD IDEA'

When delegates at the Union of B.C. Municipalities voted to call for
the decriminalization of marijuana on Wednesday, Regional District of
Nanaimo chair Joe Stanhope didn't cast a ballot.

That doesn't mean however that he is neutral about the
idea.

"I did not vote on the issue because at that time I was conducting the
resolutions and so I didn't have to vote and I didn't vote," he said.
"I said that the nomination committee's recommendation was no
recommendation. The nomination committee was neutral."

However, Stanhope said he was moved by a presentation by former B.C.
Attorney General Geoff Plant on Tuesday, who called the marijuana
prohibition a case of failed public policy.

"I think it's a good idea," Stanhope said about the resolution. "Any
time you have a law on the books that's not enforceable it should be
scrapped. Even a police officer who was off duty at the time spoke to
it. He said the war on drugs is a failure and even the U.S. 13 states
in the U.S. have decriminalization."

Despite what Stanhope termed overwhelming support for the
decriminalization call, he said it's doubtful the resolution will make
much of a political impact with senior levels of government.

"We don't have a lot of clout on federal and provincial legislation,"
he said. "There's no question though that a good majority voted for
the decriminalization of marijuana."
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MAP posted-by: Matt