NDP THROWS COLD WATER ON POT ACTIVIST'S BID FOR LEADERSHIP

Larsen Blames Clerical Error For Lapsed Party Membership

Marijuana activist Dana Larsen was the first to declare a bid for the
leadership of the B.C. New Democratic Party.

But B.C. NDP president Moe Sihota said Larsen is ineligible.

"He's currently ineligible because he's not a member," Sihota
explained Wednesday.

Larsen's NDP membership expired last November, the party said.

Larsen later blamed a "clerical error" for his lapsed membership.

"I donate regularly to the NDP and have been a member in good
standing for seven years. In November, I spoke with the B.C. NDP
office to renew my membership, change my address and make a donation.
The donation was processed, however, my address change, and now it
seems my membership, were not," Larsen said in a statement.

"Moe Sihota chose to resolve this clerical error through the media
rather than contacting me directly. That is highly irregular, and
given the effect of his comments, not at all in keeping with the
NDP's commitment to democracy," Larsen stated.

Sihota also said the federal NDP previously decided that Larsen was
ineligible to run as a candidate because of past problems.

Larsen resigned as a federal NDP candidate in West Vancouver-Sunshine
Coast in 2008 after media reports about Larsen's role in the
Vancouver Seed Bank, which sold marijuana seeds and seeds to grow
coca plants, used to make cocaine.

The NDP decided at the time that the distraction about the coca
plants was unacceptable.

Larsen said Wednesday he quit then because he didn't want to distract
voters from the message of federal NDP leader Jack Layton.

The provincial NDP rules committee will look at the Larsen
eligibility issue when it meets Jan. 6, Sihota said.

Larsen, 39, told reporters at a news conference earlier Wednesday
that he had been an NDP member for seven years.

He said he didn't believe his past would interfere with his NDP
leadership bid. "I believe I offer a fresh vision and a real
alternative choice in this leadership race," he said.

He said he wants to see more democracy within the NDP and the
province, sustainability as a central part of the party platform, a
$10 minimum wage and getting smart on crime by ending the failed war
on cannabis.

"It is time to say enough is enough," Larsen said.

He believes drugs such as cocaine and heroin should be controlled and
supplied to users by prescription to reduce the amount spent on law
enforcement, the courts and corrections.

The founding member of the B.C. Marijuana Party admitted he has no
endorsements from any MLAs so far, but maintains he is a serious
candidate for NDP leader and plans to travel the province to sign up
new members.

His core supporters are medical marijuana users and those who want to
end the prohibition against marijuana, he said.

Larsen announced his leadership bid at a news conference at the
Dispensary, which sells medicinal marijuana to people with a doctor's note.

Larsen is a paid director of three cannabis dispensaries.

He also dismissed questions about videos he made for Pot TV that
showed him high on marijuana and hallucinogenic drugs, which still are online.

"The videos were produced over 10 years ago," Larsen said. "They were
supposed to be entertaining and fun and outrageous."

One reporter suggested he was a one-issue candidate, but Larsen
countered: "I do think I offer some good ideas and another alternative."