Pubdate: Fri, 12 Jul 2013
Source: Victoria Times-Colonist (CN BC)
Copyright: 2013 Times Colonist
Contact: http://www2.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/letters.html
Website: http://www.timescolonist.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/481
Author: James Keller
Cited: Canadian Drug Policy Coalition: http://drugpolicy.ca/
Cited: Sensible BC: http://www.sensiblebc.ca
Cited: Stop the Violence BC: http://stoptheviolencebc.org/

POT ACTIVIST GETS THE GREEN LIGHT ON B.C. PETITION

VANCOUVER - A B.C. pot activist has received the green light to press 
ahead with a petition that, if successful, would force the provincial 
government to address the question of marijuana reform and could see 
voters casting ballots on the issue.

Dana Larsen is using the province's unique initiative legislation to 
propose a law that would effectively decriminalize pot by preventing 
police from enforcing simple possession laws.

Elections B.C. announced Thursday that Larsen's petition, which 
outlines proposed changes to the provincial Police Act, has been 
approved, giving Larsen and his Sensible B.C. campaign two months to 
sign up canvassers and prepare to start collecting signatures on Sept. 9.

To succeed, Larsen must then collect the signatures of 10 per cent of 
registered voters in each of the province's 85 ridings by November. 
That would either force a vote in the legislature or a province wide, 
non-binding referendum.

"We've got a pretty good shot at it, I think, but it's very 
challenging," Larsen said. "What I am confident about is that if we 
get on the ballot, we will win a resounding majority in a referendum. 
We have incredible public support for this."

The push for decriminalization has gained steam in B.C., with several 
prominent former politicians, including former Liberal attorney 
general Geoff Plant and former NDP premier Ujjal Dosanjh, calling for 
the legalization and regulation of marijuana. Their group, the Stop 
The Violence B.C. Coalition, has pointed to opinion polls that 
suggest a majority of British Columbians agree with them.

But the Liberal government has largely opted to ignore marijuana 
reform, pointing out that drug laws are in the federal government's 
jurisdiction. Larsen's petition, however, could force Clark's 
Liberals to finally tell voters where they stand. While neither the 
petition nor a potential referendum would be binding, the process 
could send the issue to the provincial legislature for a vote.

Justice Minister Suzanne Anton repeated the province's position that 
drug laws are within federal jurisdiction and said the Liberal 
government does not have an opinion about whether marijuana should be 
decriminalized.

Donald MacPherson, director of the Canadian Drug Policy Coalition and 
a member of Stop The Violence B.C. Coalition, said Larsen's proposal 
is a "very creative way to try and address the issue of cannabis at 
the local provincial level."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom