RIVAL COUNCILLORS AGREE ON LEGALIZING POT

They Say It's Better Than Letting Organized Crime And Dealers Benefit

VANCOUVER - Sam Sullivan and Peter Ladner may sit on the other side of
the political fence from Vancouver Mayor Larry Campbell, but when it
comes to the city's recently proposed drug-abuse prevention strategy,
the city councillors from the city's centre-right party express
remarkably similar sentiments.

They agree it's better to legalize marijuana than to keep shovelling
money into the pockets of organized crime or to let drug dealers
monitor the sale and price.

However, the Non-Partisan Association councillors do have some
caveats. Both are opposed to seeing a commercialized marijuana
industry, like the alcohol or tobacco industries.

"I have concerns about the proliferation," says Ladner. "Look at what
happened with gambling in B.C. when it went from being illegal to
legal. Now that the government is relying on it for revenue, they're
pushing it."

And Sullivan doesn't think marijuana should be as publicly available
or used as tobacco.

"I would like to see the city have bylaws that prohibit smoking in
public places," Sullivan said.

Those were their reactions to the most radical recommendation in a
proposed 24-point drug-abuse prevention strategy announced Wednesday
that recommends Canada legalize marijuana.

The Vancouver police department has traditionally opposed
legalization, but took a neutral line Wednesday when asked about the
city's report.

Acting Inspector Scott Thompson, the VPD's drug policy coordinator,
said the VPD likes a lot of the recommendations in the report but is
neutral on the question of drug legalization.

"The VPD is taking a neutral stand with respect to that issue," he
said. "In this province and this country it's still illegal."

Speaking to reporters Wednesday, Mayor Larry Campbell explained why he
favours legalization and regulation over the proposed federal
legislation to decriminalize the drug.

"From my point of view, decriminalization says this isn't a big deal,
but at the same time says to the criminals ... we just gave you a
licence to grow."

Decriminalization, he added, means that "we're saying to the
criminals, 'Fill your boots -- we're not going to do anything about
it.'"

Campbell said he doesn't think the Liberal government is going to
legalize marijuana any time soon. "This is a talking point . . . I'm
not fooling myself that if I pick up the phone and phone the prime
minister, he's going to say: 'Great idea, Larry. We'll get right on
board.' ''

The proposed marijuana decriminalization law, Bill C-10, would have
removed possession of less than 15 grams of marijuana from the
criminal law, but would have made it a ticketable offence, with fines
ranging from $100 for a youth and $150 for an adult.

The bill has passed second reading but is stalled at the committee
stage and is not expected to go to a vote before the next election.

"The Liberals are dragging their feet on it. They are afraid to deal
with it," said Vancouver MP Libby Davies, the NDP's drug critic.

Randy White, the drug critic for the Conservative party, also says he
believes the legislation is dead for now. "I think it's risky for them
with a minority government because there are just as many people for
it as against it," White said.