Pubdate: Tue, 03 Sep 2013
Source: Nanaimo Daily News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2013 Nanaimo Daily News
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/nanaimodailynews/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1608
Author: Ben Ingram
Cited: Sensible BC: http://www.sensiblebc.ca

POT ADVOCATES FEELING SHUT OUT FROM PUBLIC

Group Believes They Are Being Silenced After Series of Rejections

The local chapter of a provincial campaign to change B.C.'s marijuana 
laws feel they are being silenced.

The Nanaimo Downtown Farmer's Market board recently voted unanimously 
to prevent Sensible B.C. from setting up an information kiosk at the 
Friday events. Sensible B.C. received a similar response in July when 
it attempted to set up shop during the Nanaimo Marine Festival's bathtub races.

During a time when Canada's marijuana laws have come under increased 
scrutiny, Sensible B.C. has been given the go-ahead by Elections B.C. 
to gather the signatures required to launch a provincial referendum 
on decriminalization in 2014.

Sensible B.C. will begin collection of signatures on Sept. 9. Should 
the group gather at least 400,000 names by Dec. 5, a referendum on 
decriminalization will be launched for Sept. 2014.

The Nanaimo chapter hopes to gather about 6,000 signatures.

"As a vendor, we are mature people. We don't have pot leaves or 
paraphernalia on our literature," said Sensible B.C. Nanaimo 
organizer Amanda Orum. "It definitely feels like we are being silenced."

The debate around the criminality of simple pot possession has revved 
up in recent weeks.

The Canadian Association of Police Chiefs announced on Aug. 20 that 
it would advocate for more enforcement options, specifically the 
ability to ticket offenders.

Current guidelines restrict police actions to either turning a blind 
eye on pot use or charging a person with possession - which can 
result in a criminal record and use of judicial resources to 
prosecute offenders. A ticketing option would "reduce the burden on 
policing and judicial resources," according to the CAPC, which 
opposes decriminalization or legalization of pot.

Federal Liberal leader Justin Trudeau announced on Thursday that he 
supported full legalization of marijuana. Nanaimo's downtown market 
is not the proper venue for the legalization discussion, according to 
board members. "It's a board decision and that's final," said 
president Margaret Atkinson.

"We don't allow anything political involved on the market. .. The 
decision has been made, that's it."

The group received a similar response from the Loyal Nanaimo Bathtub 
Society in July, which said the group did not add to the festival's 
familyoriented events.

Sensible B.C. founder Dana Larsen said the campaign has run into 
similar problems around the province.

"It's a terrible hypocrisy. Many of these events have beer gardens 
and sell alcohol," he said of public festivals and events that have 
turned the group away.

Nanaimo RCMP's policy towards minor pot possession is to enforce the law.

Whether local police recommend possession charges to the Crown 
depends on age, area, circumstance and quantity of the offence.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom