POT PARTY CANDIDATE LIGHTS INTO CAMPAIGN

In the stale air of politics, Vern Falk is a breath of sweet-smelling smoke.

"Bear with me," he says, sticking out his left hand in an
introduction. Bending his knuckles into a hook, he locks them to an
outstretched hand.

"It's the Mayan handshake. What do you think?"

Falk will introduce himself to voters as the Kamloops-North Thompson
candidate for the B.C. Marijuana Party in the coming provincial
election against Liberal MLA Kevin Krueger and NDP candidate Dwayne
Hartle.

"I think people will take me very seriously," he said. "I have roots
in the community and know lots of people in the community."

The 50-year-old construction and demolition worker said he found the
party through travels on the Internet.

He is in the midst of gathering signatures needed to satisfy
Elections B.C. requirements to become a candidate and will attend a
party conference in Vancouver on the weekend.

"I just wanted to get the platform out there," he said.

"There needs to be an alternative. There's credible people in the
party. Some have run federally for the NDP in past. The leader, Brian
Taylor, was mayor of Grand Forks."

B.C. Marijuana Party policies include passing on savings from reduced
prison and policing costs from legalized marijuana by cutting taxes;
citizen-led referenda; a voucher system for schools and legalizing
licensed brothels.

Falk said his main focus in the campaign will be on the theme of
personal freedoms.

"If people want to (smoke pot) it's up to them. That's not my focus.
It's the personal freedom part."

Falk said 70,000 people in B.C. smoke marijuana for medicinal
purposes and they are branded criminals. He also said the justice
system wastes millions of dollars a year policing and prosecuting
marijuana cases.

He said he favours decriminalization of marijuana as a start. He also
believes people should be allowed to grow pot plants like they would
any produce.

"Five to six per cent of people are addicted to anything, gambling or
drugs. Some people smoke pot. Some don't. It should be their choice
whether they do it."

The Marijuana Party, which has yet to attract a potential candidate
in the Kamloops riding, hopes to field a candidate in each of B.C.'s
79 constituencies.