PLENTY OF PROMINENT POT SUPPORTERS IN B.C.

In B.C., several prominent political figures have called for the
legalization of marijuana, arguing that criminalization has not
reduced crime, violence or substance abuse.

Last month, four former Vancouver mayors, Larry Campbell, Michael
Harcourt, Sam Sullivan and Philip Owen, endorsed the Stop the Violence
B.C. coalition and voiced their strong support for legalization and regulation.

In an open letter to the provincial and municipal government, they
stated that prohibition has only led to more gang-related violence and
has increased costs for governments. Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson
tweeted his support soon after, saying, "Good to see 4 Vancouver
ex-mayors calling for end of cannabis prohibition. I agree, we need to
be smart and tax/regulate."

New Democrat MP for Vancouver East Lib-by Davies also wrote a letter
last month to support Stop the Violence. "It's easier to hide behind
the "prohibition is working" approach, but in the long run we are only
fooling people, while spending massive amounts of money that don't
improve health and safety," she wrote.

Former Liberal MP for Esquimalt-Juan de Fuca Keith Martin had called
for the decriminalization of marijuana since 2001. He had introduced a
private member's bill many times in Parliament, but it was never
passed. He had argued that by fining those who are found possessing
small amounts of marijuana, it will cut the connection between gangs
involved in commercial grow-ops and casual pot users.