Elections B.C. okays petition seeking referendum on marijuana decriminalization
Elections B.C. says an initiative seeking a referendum on the decriminalization of marijuana in the province is good to go.
The electoral agency announced today (September 20) it will issue the petition to proponent Dana Larsen on November 19.
However, Larsen told the Straight his campaign, called Sensible B.C., won’t be gathering signatures this fall and winter. Instead, the campaign plans to re-file the petition application next year and canvass for signatures beginning in September 2013.
According to Larsen, filing the petition application as a test run has given the campaign a “head start” on next year’s initiative.
“It means that British Columbia can decriminalize cannabis,” Larsen, a founding director of the Vancouver Medicinal Cannabis Dispensary and former B.C. NDP leadership candidate, said by phone of Elections B.C.’s approval in principle. “It means that Elections B.C. has confirmed that we have jurisdiction over policing, and that it is appropriate and legal for British Columbia to instruct the police in our province to make cannabis possession the absolute lowest priority and to stop spending their time and money going after cannabis users. I think that’s a very important step for our campaign.”
Called “An initiative to amend the Police Act”, the petition proposes legislation that would see marijuana possession decriminalized for adults. The draft Sensible Policing Act would also see the province formally call on the federal government to allow B.C. to begin legally taxing and regulating marijuana much like alcohol and tobacco.
When the petition campaign kicks off next fall, it will need to collect around 400,000 signatures from voters around the province in 90 days to be successful. That would force the B.C. government to look at holding a provincewide vote under the Recall and Initiative Act in 2014.
Larsen called the decriminalization and then legalization of marijuana a “good idea whose time has come”.
“The vast majority of British Columbians want to see a change to the cannabis laws,” Larsen said. “Whether or not they use it themselves, I think most people recognize that the harms of prohibition are far greater than any harms that might come from cannabis itself.”
Vancouver mayor Gregor Robertson, former NDP premiers Mike Harcourt and Ujjal Dosanjh, and former B.C. attorney general Geoff Plant are among the past and present politicians who have endorsed calls for the taxation and regulation of marijuana.
“Every year since [Prime Minister Stephen] Harper’s been in power basically, cannabis-possession charges have gone up in B.C.,” Larsen said. “We would like to see the discretion used the other way—to see these charges dropped. It’s a big waste of money. It ruins the lives of people who end up with a criminal record and end up with this lifelong penalty for cannabis use. The best way to reduce cannabis use and make it safer is under a regulated and taxed environment.”
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Comments
7 Comments
James G
Sep 20, 2012 at 3:11pm
Couldn't we at least have a preferential ballot?
Something along these lines:
Do you favour a reform on legislation regarding laws that cover the sale and/or cultivation and/or possession and/or use of cannabis?
Those who choose "NO" are done, those who choose "YES" must go to Question Two:
Do you favour decriminalization of said laws, the abolition of criminal sentences and replacement of same with fines and an expunging of criminal records?
OR
Do you favour legalization of cannabis with similar restrictions on access that presently affect alcohol and tobacco and a similar regime of taxation?
Given widespread participation, the result would likely be the latter. Decrim mostly helps purveyors (not that I don't appreciate you) with too little benefit to the end user.
If your decrim referendum is as good as it gets, Dana Larsen and others, I am with you. I just think we can all do better.
Sensible ideas
Sep 20, 2012 at 3:44pm
BC can't legally regulate and tax cannabis as a province without a change to federal law. Decriminalizing in this manner is the best BC can do.
However, the Sensible Policing Act also calls upon the federal government to change the law so that BC can go further in creating a legally regulated cannabis system.
GZLFB
Sep 20, 2012 at 6:15pm
Referendums negate representative system, it's a cute effort but our representative rights are constitutional not a referendum (a lazy way through).
Arthur Vandelay
Sep 21, 2012 at 4:26pm
The only thing that I am in agreement with Dana on is his little sideways quip at the end where he says, "The best way to reduce cannabis use …”
Our top priority with cannabis (and all drugs including tobacco and alcohol) should be on practical methods to reduce consumption. Somehow I'm pretty sure this isn’t one of Dana's goals.
Wtf
Mar 26, 2013 at 12:14pm
Decrim? Go all out if there's going to be a referendum. decrim is such a half measure to the real problem.
R.P.M.
Jul 17, 2013 at 2:07pm
This process is exposing once again the fact that the political system in B.C. has become a real joke. When truthfully motivated polls , indicate that the politicians of the day clearly have on intentions in implementing the will of the people. These Representatives or talking down to us when they disrespect the results of this poll. I am a democrat that believes in democracy and the pure the form of democracy the better.[ democracy- a government that is run by the people who live under it ] Kootoos to election B.C. for once again reminding our politicians of the day, that we the people make the rules around here not them. This type of event needs to happen more often. There is something wrong with democracy when we have to force our representative to respect our democratic rights or the will of the people. I personally am tired of these business minded pollsters manipulating things in there favor. Rules need to be established surrounding the miss us of polls at election time. The providing of false and or manipulated info to society at election time should be illegal or at the very least, the question asked by the pollster and the answer to that question should have to accompany one another at the time of press release. The public has the right to the truth, especially at the time when we are about to chose the people that are suppose to represent us truthfully in our government. All the info is needed to make a good decision, not just the half they want and need you to believe. Polestars are businessmen for hire, they will get you the results you need to help push through the agenda you are working on. It is at best a very manipulative process created to miss lead people. You need to know a pollster to understand these facts. Time to level the playing field, this goes for beyond this topic.
Count R. Evolutionary
Aug 2, 2013 at 3:55pm
It will be a tragic day when marijuana possession is decriminalized, and a worse day when the weed itself is taxed. Pot has long been a powerful symbol of rebellion against the systemic stupidity and violence of puritanical oppression. Now, due to the myopic meddling of largely well-intentioned individuals, our lovely weed will be controlled by the very people who have been putting pot smokers in jail all these years. It's a cynically crafted irony, and yet another step towards a totalitarianism that is evolving to manipulate and control the starry-eyed Internet babies of the 21st century. If you care about human dignity, never buy taxed weed. Buy it from an off-the-books dealer, or grow it yourself.