MAYOR SPARKS UP POT TALK

Legalization of marijuana will be a hot issue in the looming federal
election, according to the B.C. Civil Liberties Association.

Kirk Tousaw, the BCCLA's policy director, pointed out that for the first
time in Canadian history, one of the three major political parties has pot
legalization as one of its election platforms.

"The NDP wants pot legalized-they say it should be available in licensed
outlets," said Tousaw, whose organization is holding a conference Saturday
to examine how Canada would look in a post pot-prohibition era.

The Liberal Party is seeking to reduce penalties for pot possession, while
the Conservative Party wants to retain the status quo.

Saturday's conference, called Beyond Prohibition: Legal Cannabis in Canada,
will be opened by Mayor Larry Campbell, fresh from giving a speech in
Australia on the benefits of Vancouver's supervised injection site.

Tousaw said it doesn't make sense to continue to criminalize possession of
pot, noting marijuana has been used for thousands of years, and has only
been criminal for about 80. "[It's] been used by more than half of
Canadians without any real impact."

The speakers list, examining health, regulation and policing aspects of pot
prohibition and legalization, includes Eric Nash and Wendy Little, who
operate Island Harvest Certified Organic Cannabis, a licensed medical
marijuana-growing operation. They argue cannabis is safe to grow when
growers aren't trying to avoid detection.

"There is nothing dangerous about growing a plant-the danger comes from the
fact the plant is illegal to grow so you have to cut corners and do things
unsafely to avoid detection," Tousaw said. "Eric and Wendy will say they
have children in their home, they don't have mold, they aren't afraid of
fire. It's safe to grow because it's legal."

Tousaw has also invited Steph Sherer, from the California-based Americans
For Safe Access, to discuss the medical marijuana access program in
California, considered on the leading edge of medical marijuana law in
North America. Walter McKay, a former Vancouver Police Department officer
and founding member of the VPD's drug squad, is scheduled to talk about the
extent to which police resources are used to pursue marijuana users and
growers.

The forum's keynote speaker is Conservative senator Claude Nolin, who
recently completed an 18-month Senate inquiry into marijuana use and laws
in Canada, concluding marijuana should be legalized.

"The goal of the conference is not to criticize prohibition and all the
harms it creates, though that is easy to do," Tousaw said. "What we will do
is paint a comprehensive picture of what Canada would look if we legalize
cannabis use and cultivation. It is a picture that is far more socially
beneficial than our current policies."

For more information about the conference, go to www.bccla.org.