Pubdate: Fri, 02 Nov 2012
Source: Vancouver 24hours (CN BC)
Copyright: 2012 Canoe Inc
Contact:  http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3837
Author: Michael Mui
Page: 3
Cited: Stop the Violence BC: http://stoptheviolencebc.org/

NEW SUPPORT FOR DECRIMINALIZATION

Support to tax and regulate marijuana reached a new high Thursday as
another health association is advocating the decriminalization of the
weed.

On a day when an Angus Reid poll revealed 75% of British Columbians
supported revamping marijuana laws in the province, the Public Health
Association of B.C., which represents academics and senior staff in
provincial government and health authorities, threw in its support.

Health officials and politicians have previously suggested
decriminalization would reduce organized crime and put dollars into
government coffers.

"It's not a perfect solution =C2=85 but what this does is it has some
pretty important benefits in terms of undercutting a huge revenue
stream for organized crime," said association president Marjorie MacDonal
d.

"A young person who's otherwise law abiding, who gets arrested for
using cannabis and gets a criminal record, that can follow them for
the rest of their lives. It meshes them with the rest of criminal system.
"

The poll was released by Stop the Violence B.C., a coalition of
academic, legal, law enforcement and health experts calling to reform
marijuana laws.

It surveyed 799 people in B.C. from Oct. 22-24 with a margin of error
of plus-or-minus 3.5%.
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