Pubdate: Tue, 20 Aug 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: Jennifer Saltman
Cited: Sensible BC: http://www.sensiblebc.ca

POT ADVOCATES HOPE NEW BILLBOARDS CREATE A BUZZ

Three billboards have gone up next to Lower Mainland highways to 
raise awareness of and recruit volunteers for Sensible B.C.'s 
initiative petition to change how marijuana possession and use is 
policed in B.C.

One billboard is beside Highway 91 at the Alex Fraser Bridge and two 
are beside Highway 99 at the Massey Tunnel.

Marijuana activist Dana Larsen, who is the founder and director of 
Sensible B.C., has prepared a draft piece of legislation called the 
Sensible Policing Act, which would prohibit the use of police 
resources to enforce current laws regarding simple possession and use 
of marijuana by adults.

Unlawful possession and use of cannabis by minors would be an offence 
similar to possession and use of alcohol.

The bill also proposes that the province call on the federal 
government to repeal the federal prohibition on cannabis, or give 
B.C. an exemption so that it can tax and regulate cannabis as it does 
alcohol and tobacco.

Larsen will need to collect signatures from 10 per cent of registered 
voters in each of B.C.'s 85 electoral districts in order to have his 
petition and draft bill passed on to the Select Standing Committee on 
Legislative Initiatives for consideration.

If he succeeds, the committee would have to meet within 30 days of 
receiving the petition and draft bill, and from its meeting, the 
committee would have 90 days to either table a report recommending 
introduction of the draft bill or refer the initiative to the chief 
electoral officer for an initiative vote.

The signatures must be collected within a 90-day period, starting on 
Sept. 9, and Larsen's goal is to sign up 5,000 canvassers across the 
province. He currently has about 1,000 canvassers. Anyone interested 
in helping collect signatures can visit sensiblebc.ca.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom