By David F. Rooney
Vote yes or vote no, but Revelstokians who care about marijuana policy in BC should participate in the Sensible BC campaign to decriminalize marijuana. It will, proponents say, save government millions of dollars, defeat organized crime’s control of marijuana, lead to better and more sensible policing, and safer communities.
“The War on Drugs has been a failure,” says local businesswoman Dinah Collette who is soliciting registration for the Sensible BC campaign at her Spice o’ Life shop on Orton Avenue.
She’s right. Billions of dollars have been spent trying to stamp out marijuana use and it hasn’t worked. If anything the situation is now worse because gangs with an appetite for firearms control the marijuana trade. Decriminalization — Maybe even legalization! — of marijuana would be a blow against organized crime and save money the police can then allocate to other problems. If it’s legalized then government could benefit by taxing pot.
Campaign organizers are hoping that, just as happened with the ant-HST drive, enough people will support the campaign that it can force a referendum on decriminalization of marijuana, Collette said.
The Sensible BC campaign is also hosting a series of free, online public forums and dialogues on BC’s marijuana policy.
Future forums will be held in the following locations: UBC, SFU Harbour Ctr., West Van, North Van, SFU Burnaby, Coquitlam, Richmond, Langley, Surrey, Abbotsford, Chilliwack, Kamloops, Kelowna.
- Forum #4: North Vancouver – March 9, 7-9 pm
- Panelists: Adriane Carr, Susan Boyd, Mark Haden, Mark Elyas
- Forum #5: SFU Burnaby Mountain – March 14, 7-9 pm
Panelists: Mayor Derek Corrigan, Mason Tvert, Susan Boyd, Randie Long - Forum #6: Coquitlam – March 15, 7-9 pm
Panelists: Mason Tvert, Joy Davies, Mark Elyas, Randie Long
