PAST CANDIDATE ENDORSES LARSEN

Telis Savvaidis, who ran as the NDP candidate in the last federal election,
is supporting Dana Larsen after he joined the party last week

Former BC Marijuana Party leader Dana Larsen signed his New Democratic
Party (NDP) membership papers in Powell River last week.

Larsen resigned from his position to seek the NDP nomination in the West
Vancouver-Sunshine Coast riding.

"I welcome Dana into the party," said Hugh Cooper, president of the Powell
River NDP club.

Telis Savvaidis, the NDP candidate in the 2000 federal election, signed
Larsen into the party and is endorsing him as a candidate.

Savvaidis said Larsen sets an example to other fringe parties. By joining
together, "Perhaps we can do some damage," he said.

Larsen, who is the editor of Cannabis Culture magazine, said he was "very
happy to be joining the NDP."

In the last federal election, the Marijuana Party received about 60,000
votes in BC. "As leader, I feel like I represent those people," he said.
"I'm encouraging all of us to move over to the NDP. I think that's where
our future is."

NDP leader Jack Layton is calling for legalizing marijuana. The New
Democrats' current policy on marijuana laws endorses decriminalization.

Cooper said he expects a nomination meeting to be held in early February.
NDP members in the riding will elect a candidate at that time.