Pubdate: Wed, 13 Mar 2013
Source: Coquitlam Now, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2013Lower Mainland Publishing Group, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.thenownews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1340
Author: John Kurucz

POT FORUM SET FOR FRIDAY IN COQUITLAM

They say it's high time for B.C.'s marijuana laws to be reformed, and 
come Friday, members of the pro-pot group Sensible B.C. will be in 
Coquitlam to lay out their strategy to do just that.

Members will be joined by current and former politicians and other 
marijuana reform advocates for a roundtable discussion at the 
Centennial Pavilion at 620 Poirier St., from 7 to 9 p.m.

Panellists will include former federal prosecutor Randie Long; former 
Grand Forks Coun. Joy Davies; Mark Elyas, president of the Vancouver 
East federal Liberal riding association; and Colorado-based marijuana 
reform advocate Mason Tvert.

"We're going to be talking about what British Columbia can do to put 
some sensible marijuana laws in place and what those laws might look 
like," said Dana Larsen, Sensible B.C.'s executive director.

The discussion will centre around the group's proposed referendum 
strategy, the Sensible Policing Act, which would decriminalize 
cannabis possession for adults.

The proposal includes changes to the provincial Police Act, which 
would "redirect police in the province from using any police 
resources, including member time, on investigations, searches, 
seizures, citations, arrests or detentions related solely to simple 
possession of cannabis." The proposal, however, would not apply to 
laws around trafficking, possession for the purposes of trafficking 
or cultivation. The policy would include framework to deal with 
minors, similar to current laws around underage drinking, allowing 
police to confiscate pot from minors.

"Our campaign says that the first step would be to decriminalize 
possession," Larsen said. "That would be a good step in the right 
direction. Then we want to create a legally regulated market for 
cannabis, where adults can go and buy cannabis in some sort of 
legalized fashion."

The second aspect of the Sensible BC platform would see the group 
calling on the federal government to repeal cannabis prohibition by 
removing cannabis from the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.

The group's stop in Coquitlam is part of a larger campaign that 
kicked off in late February. Similar discussions have taken place 
across Metro Vancouver, and have included high-profile personalities 
like Vancouver-Fraserview MLA Kash Heed, former Green Party leader 
Adriane Carr and Burnaby Mayor Derek Corrigan.

"It's very difficult to find anybody to articulate the point of view 
against us," Larsen said. "There aren't many people who are willing 
to come and have debates or stand up for the prohibitionists' side."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom