Pubdate: Sun, 10 Feb 2013
Source: Province, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2013 Postmedia Network Inc.
Contact: http://www2.canada.com/theprovince/letters.html
Website: http://www.theprovince.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/476
Author: Glenda Luymes
Page: A22
Cited: Sensible BC: http://www.sensiblebc.ca/

MILLIONAIRE OFFERS SEED MONEY

The campaign to decriminalize marijuana in B.C. is getting a little
help from the "marijuana millionaire."

Recent lotto winner and marijuana activist Bob Erb has promised to
match all donations made to the Sensible B.C. campaign to
decriminalize pot in the province.

Erb, a former B.C. Marijuana Party candidate, won $25 million in the
Nov. 2 Lotto Max draw. He has already donated $120,000 to the Sensible
B.C. campaign and now plans to match donations as the campaign
prepares for a fall petition drive to force a referendum on
decriminalization.

Sensible B.C. director Dana Larsen said Erb's donations will help the
group to organize volunteers and resources to collect signatures.

The 90-day effort begins in September and runs until November. Larsen
must get 10 per cent of registered voters in each electoral district
in B.C. to sign in support, forcing a referendum on the
decriminalization of marijuana in B.C. in September 2014.

"This is an issue that's time has come," said Larsen. "The polls show
that the majority of British Columbians support this, but we'll have
our work cut out for us." Larsen said decriminalization means
provincially mandating that police will no longer dedicate resources
to cannabis possession charges.

Sensible B.C. is also calling on the federal government to legalize
marijuana.

Last weekend, Erb brought cannabis activists from across Canada to his
hometown Terrace for an informal conference and planning session.

"I wrote cheques for most of the groups who came," he said in a
statement.

"But most of my funding is going into changing the law here in British
Columbia with the Sensible B.C. campaign."

Larsen said he was on a fundraising tour for Sensible B.C. when he
heard about Erb's lottery win.

"It was amazing timing," he said. "It's hard not to think that there
may have been some sort of higher power at work."
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MAP posted-by: Matt