Stop the Violence BC

Media Coverage: Eight BC Mayors Endorse Stop the Violence BC

eapaul — Thu, 03 May 2012 18:59:30 +0000

Menard, B.-S. (12/05/02). Immediate interest in mayors’ letter endorsing decriminalization of marijuana, Lake Country Calendar.
Letter some BC mayors; including James Baker; sent the province. (12/05/02). Lake Country Calendar.
news mention. (12/05/02). AM770.
news mention. (12/05/02). CTV2 Victoria.
news mention. (12/05/02). News1130.
news mention. (12/05/02). 630 CHED Edmonton.
news mention. (12/05/02). CKNW.
news mention. (12/05/02). Q103.1 Kelowna.
news mention. (12/05/02). Global Okanagan.
Morning News – mention. (12/05/02). Global BC.
Waters, A. (12/04.30). Kelowna mayors didn’t feel comfortable signing pro pot letter, Kelowna Capital News.
Brennan, R. (12/04/30). Tough laws not the answer for BC marijuana problem Vancouver councillor says, Toronto Star.
Waters, A. (12/04/30). Time for the rest of Central Okanagan’s mayors to speak out about pot prohibition, Kelowna Capital News
Emery, M. (12/04/30). Marijuana prohibition is under attack, The Vancouver Sun
Deadly competition to replace slain gangster predicted (12/04/30). CTVBC.
Rolke, R. (12/04/29). North Okanagan mayors protest pot prohibition, Vernon Morning Star.
You said it. (12/04/29). North Shore News.
Webb, K. (2012/04/27). Mayors at odds with BC leaders on marijuana legalization, Metro (Vancouver) (pp. 4).
Squire, J. P. (2012/04/27). Okanagan mayors send joint letter on pot, Kelowna Daily Courier (pp. A1).
Squire, J. P. (2012/04/27). BC mayors smoke out illegal marijuana trade, Penticton Herald (pp. A1).
Raptis, M. (2012/04/27). Eight mayors call for end to marijuana prohibition, The Province (pp. A4).
Nagel, J. (2012/04/27). Eight mayors echo call for marijuana reform, Surrey Leader (pp. A1).
Gauk, M. (2012/04/27). Mayors push for pot legalization, Nanaimo Daily News (pp. 1).
Drewes, K. (2012/04/27). Mayors rally behind bid to decriminalize marijuana, The Globe and Mail (pp. S1).
Brennan, R. (2012/04/27). BC mayors push for marijuana legalization, Toronto Star (pp. A12).
Bolan, K. (2012/04/27). BC mayors join campaign to regulate marijuana, Vancouver Sun (pp. A8).
Alldritt, B. (2012/04/27). City council calls for pot regulation, North Shore News (pp. 1).
BC mayors want pot legalized. (2012/04/27). Edmonton Sun (pp. 12).
BC mayors want pot legalized. (2012/04/27). Calgary Sun (pp. 16).
Coalition of BC mayors say pot policy no place for partisan politics. (2012/04/27). Prince George Citizen (pp. 7).
Eight BC mayors back drive to regulate pot. (2012/04/27). Victoria Times Colonist (pp. A2).
BC mayors back move to regulate; tax marijuana. (2012/04/27). Kamloops Daily News (pp. B4).
(Editorial) Decriminalization is the best solution. (2012/04/27). The Province (pp. A18).
news mention. (2012/04/27). CTV Vancouver.
news mention. (2012/04/27). Global BC.
news mention. (2012/04/27). Global Okanagan.
news mention. (2012/04/27). CFTK Terrace.
news mention. (2012/04/27). Q103.1.
Mayors send joint letter on pot. (2012/04/27). Trail Daily Times (pp. 4).
news mention. (2012/04/27). CityTV.
news mention. (2012/04/27). CTV BC.
news mention. (2012/04/27). News1130.
BC mayors support campaign to regulate and tax pot. (2012/04/27). Alaska Highway News (pp. A3).
news mention. (2012/04/27). AM1150.
Mayors unite in pot fight. (2012/04/27). Metro (Vancouver) (pp. 1).
BC mayors support campaign to regulate and tax pot. (2012/04/27). Canada.com.
Tax marijuana; says BC mayors’ coalition. (2012/04/27). CBC.
Webb, K. (2012/04/26). Mayors at odds with BC leaders on marijuana legalization, Metro (Vancouver).
Scott, G. (2012/04/26). Mayors: The dope on regulating pot, Castanet (BC).
Rockcliffe, A. (2012/04/26). Mayors support regulation and taxation of marijuana, BCIT.
Quinn, S. (2012/04/26). On the coast, CBC.
Nagel, J. (2012/04/26). Eight mayors echo call for marijuana reform, Surrey Leader.
Mui, M. (2012/04/26). Eight BC mayors call for pot reform, 24 Hours Vancouver.
Howell, M. (2012/04/26). Vision Vancouver pushes decriminalized pot, Vancouver Courier.
Gardner, S. (2012/04/26). BC mayors call for taxation and regulation of marijuana, CFAX.
Cole, Y. (2012/04/26). Eight BC mayors sign letter in support of marijuana legalization, Georgia Straight.
Brennan, R. (2012/04/26). Canada News: BC mayors want marijuana legalized, Toronto Star.
Bolan, K. (2012/04/26). More BC mayors join campaign to regulate and tax marijuana, Vancouver Sun.
Aynsley, M. (2012/04/26). Vancouver councillor calls on city council to support pot legalization, OpenFile Vancouver.
Mayors ask BC leaders to join call to end pot ban. (2012/04/26). CTV.
BC mayors support campaign to regulate and tax pot. (2012/04/26). Calgary Herald.
City of Vancouver to debate pot decriminalization. (2012/04/26). News1130.
BC mayors want marijuana legalized. (2012/04/26). Cannabis Culture Magazine.
(2012/04/26). CTV BC.
Eight mayors echo call for marijuana reform. (2012/04/26). Agassiz-Harrison Observer.
Eight mayors echo call for marijuana reform. (2012/04/26). Oak Bay News.
Eight mayors echo call for marijuana reform. (2012/04/26). Tri-city News.
Eight mayors echo call for marijuana reform. (2012/04/26). Maple Ridge News.
Eight mayors echo call for marijuana reform. (2012/04/26). Langley Times.
Eight mayors echo call for marijuana reform. (2012/04/26). Peninsula News Review.
Eight mayors echo call for marijuana reform. (2012/04/26). New Westminster News Leader.
Eight mayors echo call for marijuana reform. (2012/04/26). Burnaby News Leader.
Eight mayors echo call for marijuana reform. (2012/04/26). Saanich News.
Eight mayors echo call for marijuana reform. (2012/04/26). Cloverdale Reporter.
Eight mayors echo call for marijuana reform. (2012/04/26). Mission City Record.
Eight mayors echo call for marijuana reform. (2012/04/26). Chilliwack Progress.
Eight mayors echo call for marijuana reform. (2012/04/26). Aldergrove Star.
Eight mayors echo call for marijuana reform. (2012/04/26). Campbell River Mirror.
Eight mayors echo call for marijuana reform. (2012/04/26). South Delta Leader.
Eight mayors echo call for marijuana reform. (2012/04/26). Peace Arch News.
Eight mayors echo call for marijuana reform. (2012/04/26). Alberni Valley News.
Eight mayors echo call for marijuana reform. (2012/04/26). North Shore Outlook.
Eight mayors echo call for marijuana reform. (2012/04/26). Victoria News.
Eight mayors echo call for marijuana reform. (2012/04/26). Cowichan News Leader.
Eight mayors echo call for marijuana reform. (2012/04/26). Richmond Review.
Eight mayors echo call for marijuana reform. (2012/04/26). Sooke News Mirror.
Eight mayors echo call for marijuana reform. (2012/04/26). Vernon Morning Star.
(2012/04/26). CKNW.
Coalition of BC mayors say pot policy no place for partisan politics. (2012/04/26). Yahoo! News Canada.
BC mayors want pot legalized; urge government to support them. (2012/04/26). London Community News (Ontario).
(2012/04/26). RadioNL.
Laws need to be changed to end prohibition; BC mayors argue. (2012/04/26). Huffington Post.
Coalition of BC mayors say pot policy no place for partisan politics. (2012/04/26). GlobalBC.
Pot should be legal and taxed: BC mayors. (2012/04/26). National Post.
Pot policy no place for partisan politics; BC mayors tell province’s leaders. (2012/04/26). The Globe and Mail.
(Editorial) Decriminalization is the best solution. (2012/04/26). The Province.
Rolke, R. (12/04/29). North Okanagan mayors protest pot prohibition, Vernon Morning Star.
You said it. (12/04/29). North Shore News.
Fuller- Evans, J. (12/04/27). Pot prohibition supports ‘Al Capon-like figures’ Burnaby Mayor Derek Corrigan says, Burnaby Now.
Abshire, J. (12/04/27). BC mayors back legalized pot: Does it influence your view? , News1130.
Coalition of BC mayors say pot policy no place for partisan politics. (12/04/27). Whitehorse Daily Star.
Webb, K. (12/04/26). Mayors at odds with BC leaders on marijuana law, Metro News.
Nagel, J. (12/04/26). Eight mayors echo call for marijuana reform Surrey North Delta Leader.
Good, B. (12/04/26). Bill Good Show, CKNW.
(12/04/26). Radio NL.

City of Vancouver Passes Cannabis Regulation and Taxation Motion

eapaul — Wed, 02 May 2012 22:09:57 +0000

On Tuesday, May 1st Vancouver City council unanimously passed a motion supporting Stop the Violence BC and calling for a public health-based, regulatory approach to cannabis taxation and control.

To read the text of the motion click here, or on the image to the right.

Media Coverage:

Britsh Columbia Municipalities Show Support for Cannabis Regulation and Taxation

eapaul — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 18:09:30 +0000

Over the last couple of months, Stop the Violence BC has been working closely with municipalities around BC to discuss and pass motions calling for the regulation and taxation of cannabis.

To date, four city councils, Enderby, North Vancouver, Vernon and Victoria have joined the call for a public health approach to cannabis regulation and taxation in British Columbia.

Please see below for full text of the suggested motion.

Enderby’s motion will be made available online here.

North Vancouver’s motion will be available shortly.

Vancouver’s motion can be downloaded here.

Vernon’s motion can be viewed here, on page 4 of the PDF.

Victoria’s motion can be viewed here.

Motion Supporting a Regulatory Approach to Cannabis Control:

WHEREAS cannabis prohibition efforts have failed to effectively limit the availability of cannabis, especially to our youth;

WHEREAS cannabis prohibition has created a large financial opportunity that has fueled an increasingly violent illegal market with expanding organized crime involvement;

WHEREAS academic, law enforcement and health experts, including the Health Officers Council of BC, believe that a strictly controlled public health oriented regulatory framework for cannabis control has the potential to reduce rates of cannabis use, raise substantial tax revenue, undermine organized crime and save law enforcement time and expenditures;

WHEREAS many BC municipalities are increasingly affected by the harms of cannabis prohibition (e.g. grow-ops, etc), which negatively impacts community health and safety;

WHEREAS BC municipalities are increasingly bearing the financial burden of failed policy approaches that emphasize enforcement of marijuana prohibition over evidence-based policies, consuming significant portions of municipal budgets and diverting law enforcement attention away from criminal activities where police involvement can better improve community safety;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Council XXX supports the taxation and regulation of cannabis to address the ineffectiveness and harms of cannabis prohibition, and write to the Southern Interior Local Government Association, Union of BC Municipalities, Federation of Canadian Municipalities, and Provincial and Federal Ministers in the Justice and Health departments to inform them of our support.

Media Coverage: Stop the Violence BC Presents John McKay

eapaul — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 16:25:20 +0000

April 18, 2012 Stop the Violence BC presented former US Attorney John McKay, former BC Attorney General Geoff Plant, coalition member Dr Evan Wood and Jodie Emery for a press conference on the failures of cannabis prohibition and the future of cannabis policy in the Pacific Northwest.

Please see below for listing of media coverage from the event:

Print and Online

Mulgrew, I. (12/04/20). On marijuana day 4/20, man who jailed Prince of Pot calls for legalization, Calgary Herald.
(Editorial) Reefer madness. (12/04/20). Vancouver Courier.
(Editorial) Reefer madness. (12/04/20). North Shore News.
Vandermeer, J. (12/04/19). Prince of Pot prosecutor John McKay meets with Jodie Emery, calls for marijuana legalization, Cannabis Culture Magazine.
Stueck, W. (12/04/19). Prince of Pot foe favours legalization, Globe and Mail.
Mulgrew, I. (12/04/19). Emery’s prosecutor wants pot legalized, Vancouver Sun.
Mui, M. (12/04/19). Ex Prince of Pot prosecutor now wants to legalize it, Kingston Whig Standard.
Mui, M. (12/04/19). Prince of Pot prosecutor now pro pot, 24 Hours Vancouver.
McKay, J. (12/04/19). (Column) Pot ban fuels cross-border violence, Vancouver Sun.
McKay, J. (12/04/19). (Column) Pot ban fuels cross-border violence, Vancouver Sun.
Gurney, M. (12/04/19). (Column) If you break the law, you go to jail. This isn’t hard, National Post.
Emery, J. (12/04/19). (Column) Victims of the drug war, National Post.
Austin, I. (12/04/19). Prince of Pot Marc Emery’s prosecutor pushes to legalize marijuana, Victoria Times-Colonist.
(Editorial) Reefer madness. (12/04/19). North Shore News.
(12/04/19). Toronto Star.
Change of heart on pot laws. (12/04/19). Castanet.net.
US attorney who jailed Canada’s Prince of Pot calls for legalization. (12/04/19). Prince George Citizen.
Pot Prince prosecutor wants weed legalization. (12/04/19). The Daily Bulletin (Kimberly).
10 provocative quotes about legalization for global pot day. (12/04/19). CBC.
US attorney who jailed Canada’s Prince of Pot calls for legalization. (12/04/19). Toronto Star.
Webb, K. (12/04/18). Marc Emery’s US prosecutor for marijuana regulation and taxation, Metro News Vancouver.
Thomson, S. (12/04/18). Former US prosecutor of Marc Emery condemns pot prohibition in BC, Straight.
Stueck, W. (12/04/18). US prosecutor of Prince of Pot joins campaign to legalize marijuana, Globe and Mail.
Steigerwald, L. (12/04/18). Former US prosecutor who took down Marc Emery calls for legalization, but doesn’t regret prosecution of ‘Prince of Pot’, Reason Magazine.
Mulgrew, I. (12/04/18). Emery’s prosecutor wants pot legalized, Vancouver Sun.
Mui, M. (12/04/18). US attorney who prosecuted pot activist Marc Emery calls for legalization, 24 Hours Vancouver.
US attorney who jailed Canada’s Prince of Pot calls for legalization. (12/04/18). Metro.
US attorney who jailed Canada’s Prince of Pot calls for legalization. (12/04/18). News1130.
US attorney who jailed Canada’s Prince of Pot calls for legalization. (12/04/18). Brandon Sun.
US attorney who jailed Canada’s Prince of Pot calls for legalization. (12/04/18). Winnipeg Free Press.
Prince of Pot prosecutor John McKay calls for marijuana legalization. (12/04/18). Huffington Post.
Bigham, S. (12/04/18). Man who put BC pot activist in jail pushes to legalize it, News1130.
Baziuk, L. (12/04/18). US attorney changes tune on marijuana, CKNW.
Austin, I. (12/04/18). Prince of Pot’s nemesis takes new stand, The Province.
Austin, I. (12/04/18). Prince of Pot Marc Emery’s prosecutor pushes to legalize marijuana, Canada.com.
Marc Emery’s US prosecutor joins Jodie Emery to call for marijuana legalization. (12/04/18). Cannabis Culture Magazine.
Marc Emery’s US prosecutor urges pot legalization. (12/04/18). CBC.

Radio
The Bro Jake Show. (12/04/20). Rock 101.
The Bill Kelly Show. (12/04/20). CHML Hamilton.
Rob Breakenridge Show. (12/04/20). QR77.
(12/04/19). CBC Charlotttown.
(12/04/19). CBC Thunder Bay.
(12/04/19). CBC Calgary.
(12/04/19). CBC Kelowna.
(12/04/19). CBC White Horse.
(12/04/19). News 95.7 (Halifax).
(12/04/19). Rock107 (Belleville).
(12/04/19). 620 CKRM (Regina).
(12/04/19). Q104 (Sault Ste. Marie).
(12/04/19). EZ Rock 100.5 (Sault Ste. Marie).
(12/04/19). CFRA (Ottawa).
(12/04/19). Country 103.9 (Sarnia).
(12/04/19). AM980 (London).
(12/04/19). CIFM (Kamloops).
(12/04/19). Newstalk 610 (St. Catherines).
(12/04/19). CFTK (Terrace).
(12/04/19). Radio NL (Kamloops).
(12/04/19). CJBQ (Belleville).
(12/04/19). CBC Prince George.
(12/04/19). AM1150 (Kelowna).
(12/04/19). CBC Vancouver.
(12/04/19). CKNW.
(12/04/19). CFAX Victoria.
(12/04/18). Fairchild.
(12/04/18). Fairchild.
(12/04/18). CBC Victoria.
(12/04/18). CBC Kelowna.
(12/04/18). CBC Prince George.
(12/04/18). CBC Vancouver.
(12/04/18). Radio NL.
(12/04/18). CFAX Victoria.
(12/04/18). CHML Hamilton.
(12/04/18). CKNW.
(12/04/18). CKNW.
(12/04/18). News1130.
Forsythe, M. (12/04/18). B.C. Almanac, CBC.
Pot Prince prosecutor wants weed legalization. (12/04/18). NewsTalk 980 Regina.
Hopkins, A. (12/04/18). Change of views on legalized pot doesn’t mean change in law, News1130.
McComb, J. (12/04/18). World Today, CKNW.
Quinn, S. (12/04/18). On the Coast, CBC.

Television
(12/04/20). CTV News Channel.
News Hour Final. (12/04/19). Global BC.
(12/04/19). Global Okanagan.
(12/04/19). iNews 880 (Edmonton).
(12/04/19). CTV Two Victoria.
Morning Live. (12/04/19). CTV Vancouver.
Breakfast Television. (12/04/19). CityTV (Vancouver).
(12/04/18). Global Okanagan.
(12/04/18). Global BC.
(12/04/18). CTV Vancouver.
OMNI News. (12/04/18). OMNI BC.
(12/04/18). Global BC.
CBC News. (12/04/18). CBC Vancouver.
National News. (12/04/18). CTV.
Meiszner, P. (12/04/18). US attorney who jailed Canada’s Prince of Pot calls for legalization, Global.
Meiszner, P. (12/04/18). US Attorney who jailed Marc Emery calls for legalization of marijuana, Global BC.
Lindsay, B. (12/04/18). US prosecutor who jailed Emery calls for lega pot, CTV.

BC Mayors Call for Taxation and Regulation of Marijuana

eapaul — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 07:48:00 +0000

April 26, 2012

To: Premier Christy Clark, Mr. Adrian Dix and Mr. John Cummins
From: James Baker, Chris Pieper, Derek Corrigan, John Ranns, Howie Cyr, Gregor Robertson, Darrell Mussatto and Robert Sawatzky

Re: Discussion required on marijuana policy

Dear Premier Clark, Mr. Dix and Mr. Cummins:

As mayors of BC municipalities, we are fully aware of the harms stemming from the province’s large illegal marijuana industry. Our communities have been deeply affected by the consequences of marijuana prohibition including large-scale grow-ops, increased organized crime and ongoing gang violence. Increasing law enforcement costs also significantly impact municipal budgets.

We see a seemingly endless stream of anti-marijuana law enforcement initiatives in our communities, yet marijuana remains widely and easily available to our youth. Based on the evidence before us, we know that laws that aim to control the marijuana industry are ineffective and, like alcohol prohibition in the US in the 1920s, have led to violent unintended consequences.

The case against current marijuana laws is compelling. Despite major taxpayer investments in law enforcement activities, the marijuana market has not been suppressed. Furthermore, the province’s massive illegal marijuana trade drives organized crime in BC and throughout the Pacific Northwest. The Organized Crime Agency of BC estimates that organized crime groups control 85% of BC’s marijuana trade, which the Fraser Institute estimates is worth up to $7 billion annually. U.S. federal prosecutors have identified BC-based drug gangs that control the marijuana trade as “the dominant organized crime threat in the Northwest.”

Even though anti-marijuana law enforcement is active and growing, marijuana potency is increasing while price is decreasing. Rates of use remain high. Youth report easier access to marijuana than to tobacco while organized crime reaps massive marijuana-related profits. Given these facts, we conclude that a more effective, evidence-based approach to controlling marijuana is urgently needed.

As BC mayors, we support the Stop the Violence BC campaign. It is time to tax and strictly regulate marijuana under a public health framework; regulating marijuana would allow the government to rationally address the health concerns of marijuana, raise government tax revenue and eliminate the huge profits from the marijuana industry that flow directly to organized crime. According to public health experts, strict regulation of the marijuana market may also reduce marijuana use. In fact, the success in reducing rates of tobacco use has been achieved through public health regulation, not prohibition.

We are also concerned about the policing and related law enforcement costs that will be placed upon municipalities due to proposed federal mandatory minimum sentencing legislation related to marijuana. Such prescribed and inflexible policies have proven costly and ineffective in the US. We ask you to instead consider how a public health framework that calls for strict marijuana regulation and taxation can help address the intractable problems of gangs and gang violence in BC.

Stop the Violence BC is not alone in its call for a regulated, public health approach to adult marijuana use. The Fraser Institute and the Health Officers Council of BC, among others, have made similar recommendations and your BC public is onside. According to a recent Angus Reid poll, only 12% of British Columbians support the current approach of marijuana prohibition, with the vast majority supporting taxation and regulation.

We recognize and fully understand public dissatisfaction with today’s marijuana laws. Therefore, we will be recommending that the Union of BC Municipalities support a motion in favour of taxation and regulation of marijuana. We also encourage politicians to speak their conscience, even if their views go beyond the silence coming from the political parties themselves.

Given the ongoing gang activity, widespread availability of marijuana and high costs associated with enforcement, leaders at all levels of government must take responsibility for marijuana policy. We are asking you as provincial leaders to take a new approach to marijuana regulation. Our communities, our youth and our public finances will benefit from an evidence-based, public health approach to marijuana.

Signed,

James Baker, Mayor Lake Country
Chris Pieper, Mayor of Armstrong
Robert Sawatzky, Mayor of Vernon
Howie Cyr, Mayor of Enderby
John Ranns, Mayor of Metchosin
Darrell Mussatto, Mayor City of North Vancouver
Derek Corrigan, Mayor of Burnaby
Gregor Robertson, Mayor of Vancouver

Download the Letter Here

CC:Mr. Heath Slee, Director
Union of BC Municipalities
60-10551 Shellbridge Way
Richmond, BC V6X 2W9

B.C. mayors cite gang violence, crime, costs and community health and safety in drive to overturn marijuana prohibition

eapaul — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 07:45:54 +0000

Municipal leaders call for Clark, Dix and Cummins to support regulating and taxing cannabis

April 26, 2012 [Vancouver, BC]—A coalition of B.C. mayors is urging provincial political leaders to support the regulation and taxation of cannabis to better protect communities, reduce crime and undercut gang activity resulting from the illegal marijuana trade.

In a letter addressed to Premier Christy Clark, Opposition leader Adrian Dix and BC Conservative Party leader John Cummins, mayors representing municipalities from the Interior, Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland asked provincial leaders to embrace a public health framework that calls for strict marijuana regulation and taxation.

“Given the ongoing gang activity, widespread availability of marijuana and high costs associated with enforcement, leaders at all levels of government must take responsibility for marijuana policy,” the mayors write in their letter to B.C.’s three major political party leaders. “We are asking you as provincial leaders to take a new approach to marijuana regulation.”

The letter was sent following several recent motions passed by municipal councils across the province supporting a regulatory approach to cannabis policy. Most recently, City of Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson announced today that a motion for Vancouver City Council to endorse the Stop the Violence BC campaign will be on the council agenda next week.

“This is not a partisan issue,” says Robertson. “Widespread access to marijuana for our youth, grow-ops that provide funds for organized crime, and significant costs to taxpayers for enforcement are all compelling reasons to re-examine our failed approach to prohibition.”

“We see the detrimental effects of marijuana prohibition in our communities on a daily basis,” says Burnaby Mayor Derek Corrigan. “Huge profits for organized crime and widespread gang violence in our cities are the result of this failed policy. We put our citizens and communities at risk by not taking action now.”

In their letter, the mayors cited say their constituents are ready for a new approach to marijuana policy. They point to an Angus Reid poll showing that a mere 12% of British Columbians support the current approach to controlling marijuana while the vast majority (66%) support taxation and regulation – the position championed by the Stop the Violence BC Coalition – rather than prohibition.

“We stand together as B.C. mayors because we think our communities will be safer and our children better protected from criminal elements if we overturn marijuana prohibition and implement policies that strictly regulate the adult use of cannabis,” says City of North Vancouver Mayor Darrell Mussatto, whose council passed a motion supporting the regulation of cannabis on April 23, 2012.

The mayors have stepped forward in an effort to draw attention to the issues of crime and violence directly related to marijuana prohibition, asking their counterparts across the province to join them.

“We are all well aware of the human, social and financial costs of marijuana prohibition, and it does not make sense to bear them any longer,” says Robert Sawatzky, Mayor of Vernon. “We invite mayors from across B.C. to consider the escalating costs of prohibition, and join our efforts to implement evidence-based cannabis policies that reflect our commitment as municipal leaders to community health and safety.”

In their letter, the mayors’ endorsed Stop the Violence BC (STVBC), a coalition of academic, legal, law enforcement and health experts campaigning to reform cannabis laws to reduce the harms associated with the illegal cannabis trade, including gang violence. The mayors join a growing list of recent high-profile endorsements, including four former mayors of Vancouver, the Health Officers Council of BC and four former B.C. attorneys general.

“As B.C. mayors, we support the Stop the Violence BC campaign,” the letter states. “It is time to tax and strictly regulate marijuana under a public health framework; regulating marijuana would allow the government to rationally address the health concerns of marijuana, raise government tax revenue and eliminate the huge profits from the marijuana industry that flow directly to organized crime.”

Dr. Evan Wood, founder of STVBC, welcomed the mayors’ support and noted the growing movement among municipal politicians to overturn cannabis prohibition. He noted that 75% of the 240 delegates at the annual conference for the Association of Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities recently supported a resolution that calls on Ottawa to change its marijuana laws.

“We are seeing community leaders around the province take charge and decisively call for action from senior levels of government to change the status quo regarding marijuana policy,” says Wood. “It is time for our provincial and federal leaders to listen to what the public is saying, engage in discussion, and come to a resolution that better reflects the wishes of their constituents.”

For a copy of the letter please click here.
To join the STVBC conversation, please visit the STVBC Facebook page
Updates on the campaign are publicly available on Twitter
To read the coalition’s first two reports, discover more about the coalition and upcoming events, and learn how to support the effort, please visit www.stoptheviolencebc.org

Additional Mayors’ comments:

Armstrong
“The efforts of the Stop the Violence campaign seeks the support of all people to allow for the legal and regulated growth and regulated sale of Marijuana, and support the health agencies in the education and ultimate non-use of this drug. The education and advertising relating to health concerns of smoking has driven down the use of cigarettes immensely in the past 20 years.” –Chris Pieper, Mayor of Armstrong

Lake Country
“Drug prohibition is a failed policy by any measures used with regard to public health and safety outcomes. The cost of prohibition continues to rise in terms of criminal activity and associated social costs of enforcement. It is time for senior governments to implement controls, regulation and taxation of all drugs to do away with the violence of the illegal trade.” – James Baker, Mayor of Lake Country

Metchosin
“My council whole heartily agrees that we need to consider alternatives approaches to the current, failed system of cannabis prohibition.” – John Ranns, Mayor of the District of Metchosin

-30-

Media: to interview the mayors, please contact:

James Baker, Mayor of Lake Country 250.766.6670 baker@lakecountry.bc.ca	Chris Pieper, Mayor of Armstrong 250.550.7239 cpieper@telus.net
Derek Corrigan, Mayor of Burnaby Contact: Maryann Manuel 604-294-7342 maryann.manuel@burnaby.ca	John Ranns, Mayor of District of Metchosin Contact: Tammie Van Swieten 250.474.3167 tvanswieten@metchosin.ca
Howie Cyr, Mayor of Enderby 250.517.0244 enderbymayor@shaw.ca	Gregor Robertson, Mayor of Vancouver Contact: Braeden Caley 604.873.7490 braeden.caley@vancouver.ca
Darrell Mussatto, Mayor of City of North Vancouver Contact: Alison Brookfield 604-998-3280 abrookfield@cnv.org	Robert Sawatsky, Mayor of Vernon 250.550.3508 mayor@vernon.ca

The city councils of four B.C. municipalities have already passed motions in support of STVBC, click here for more information.

About Stop the Violence BC

Stop the Violence BC is a coalition of law enforcement officials, legal experts, public health officials and academic experts from the University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University, University of Victoria and the University of Northern BC. Coalition members have come together to engage all British Columbians in a discussion aimed at developing and implementing marijuana-related policies that improve public health while reducing social harms, including violent crime.

For a full listing of coalition members and to learn more about the coalition, please visit www.stoptheviolencebc.org

For quotes from coalition members, photos and links to downloadable videos of coalition members speaking about the report, please visit www.stoptheviolencebc.org/coalition-members/

To interview Dr. Evan Wood, founder, Stop the Violence BC coalition, or another member of STVBC please contact:

Crystal Reinitz
Edelman
604 623 3007 ext. 301
crystal.reinitz@edelman.com

Download the Letter Here

Former United States Attorney calls on Canada to regulate and tax marijuana

eapaul — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 15:16:30 +0000

John McKay, who prosecuted Vancouver’s Marc Emery, says cannabis prohibition is a threat to public safety on both sides of the border

[April 18, 2012, Vancouver, BC]¬¬—A high-profile former United States Attorney with a history of fighting the cross-border marijuana trade is urging Washington State lawmakers and Canadians to regulate and tax marijuana as a strategy to combat organized crime and improve public health and safety.

John McKay, who was appointed U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Washington State by President George W. Bush in 2001, says Canada and the U.S. should reject today’s ineffective and harmful anti-marijuana law enforcement strategies in favour of a regulated public health approach to marijuana control.

McKay, who served as U.S. Attorney until 2007, was the federal prosecutor who obtained indictments of Marc Emery, a B.C.-based marijuana activist who was sentenced to five years in U.S. prison for selling marijuana seeds to U.S. customers in 2010.

“The belief that we support public health and community safety through the enforcement of marijuana laws is misguided and destructive,” says McKay, who spoke at a Stop the Violence BC lecture in Vancouver, Canada today. “Marijuana prohibition in British Columbia and Washington State has fuelled a massive illegal industry that is profitable, exceptionally violent, and a proven threat to public safety and security on both sides of the border.”

McKay’s experience combating cross-border gangs and the drug trade – which sees B.C. marijuana head south in exchange for fire-arms and cocaine that head north – has convinced him to support Washington Initiative 502, which will be on the 2012 statewide ballot. If passed, the initiative will allow for the taxation and regulation of marijuana in Washington State, with revenues earmarked for substance-abuse prevention and education, and healthcare.

McKay joins a growing chorus of law enforcement and health officials – including the Health Officers Council of B.C. – who publicly support the regulation and taxation of marijuana. Recently, a total of eight former Vancouver mayors and provincial attorneys general have spoken in favour of taxation and regulation of marijuana to improve public safety.

“Cannabis prohibition is ineffective, expensive and, without question, contributes to the growth of organized crime,” says Geoff Plant, who served as B.C. attorney general from 2001 to 2005. “Widespread gang violence, easy access to illegal cannabis, significant costs to taxpayers and cross-border organized crime concerns all result from our failed approach to drug policy.”

McKay is adamant that a regulated cannabis market in Canada and/or the U.S. will not affect cross-border commerce and traffic, and calls politically motivated assertions to the contrary misleading.

“Rest assured, the U.S. would not take punitive action against Canada that would hinder billions in cross-border trade if Canadian marijuana laws were reformed,” he said. “Canada and the United States should reform and align marijuana laws. Both federal governments have fallen well behind many U.S. states in terms of enacting progressive marijuana policy reforms.”

Sixteen U.S. states, as well as the District of Columbia, have passed laws allowing some degree of medical use of marijuana. Fourteen U.S. states have taken steps to decriminalize marijuana possession and 2012 will see ballot initiatives to overturn marijuana prohibition in Washington State and Colorado.

Despite McKay’s connection with prosecuting high-profile cannabis cases, his request to regulate and tax marijuana is welcomed by others making similar calls for changes to Canada’s legislation.

“It’s heartening to see such a diverse cross-section of law enforcement and public health experts come together and agree that an evidence-based approach to marijuana taxation and regulation makes sense at so many levels,” says Jodie Emery, wife of Marc Emery.

“Current policies towards marijuana are unnecessarily punitive, and serve to persecute ordinary citizens and ruin lives by hindering their ability to work and fully contribute to society.”

McKay, Jodie Emery and Geoff Plant have endorsed Stop the Violence BC (STVBC), a coalition of academic, legal, law enforcement and health experts, and its campaign to overturn marijuana prohibition and reduce the harms associated with the illegal marijuana trade, including gang violence. They appeared together on a panel hosted by STVBC on April 18 in Vancouver.

For a full replay of McKay’s lecture and the following media conference with Jodie Emery, please see http://stoptheviolencebc.org/2012/04/16/former-us-attorney-john-mckay-video/. The link will go live at 5 p.m., PDT, on April 18.

To join the STVBC conversation, please visit the STVBC Facebook page (www.facebook.com/StoptheViolenceBC).
Updates on the campaign are publicly available on Twitter (www.twitter.com/stvbc).
To read the coalition’s first two reports, discover more about the coalition and upcoming events, and learn how to support the effort, please visit www.stoptheviolencebc.org.

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About Stop the Violence BC

For a full listing of coalition members and to learn more about the coalition, please visit www.stoptheviolencebc.org.

For quotes from coalition members, photos and links to downloadable videos of coalition members speaking about the report, please visit www.stoptheviolencebc.org/coalition-members/.

Media: To interview Dr. Evan Wood, founder, Stop the Violence BC coalition, please contact:

Mahafrine Petigara
Edelman
604 623 3007 ext. 297
mahafrine.petigara@edelman.com

Video: Stop the Violence BC Presents Former US Attorney John McKay

eapaul — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 16:33:57 +0000

Part One – John McKay Lecture

Part Two – John McKay Lecture

Media Coverage: Health Officers Open Medicine Paper, “Improving community health and safety in Canada through evidence-based policies on illegal drugs “

eapaul — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 18:07:34 +0000

On March 28, 2012 provincial health officers from British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Nova Scotia, along with Stop the Violence BC coalition member Dr. Evan Wood released a paper in Open Medicine calling for the reevaluation of current drug law enforcement practices.

For complete media coverage listing, please see the links below.

Print and Online

Radio

Zandbergen, R. (12/03/29) CBC. Kelowna.
White, D. (12/03/29) CBC. Whitehorse.
Veinnotte, T. (12/03/29). The Todd Veinnotte Show News 95.7. Halifax.
Updike, L. (12/03/29) CBC. Winnipeg.
Turnbull, J. (12/03/29) CBC. Sudbury.
Sara, S. (12/03/29). Simi Sara Show CKNW. Vancouver.
Roberts, J. A. (12/03/29) CBC. Victoria.
Lederhouse, C. (12/03/29) CBC. Regina.
Castle, P. (12/03/28) CBC. New Brunswick.
Burris, D. (12/03/28) News1130. Vancouver.
Brown, P. (12/03/28) CBC. Edmonton.
Breakenridge, R. (12/03/28). The Rob Breakenridge Show QR77. Calgary.
Blades, T. (12/03/28) CBC. St. John’s.
Bains, M. CBC. Vancouver.
(12/03/28) AM770. Calgary.
(12/03/28) AM640. Toronto.
(12/03/28) 660 News. Calgary.
(12/03/28) CKNW. Vancouver.
(12/03/28) News 91.9. Moncton.
(12/03/28) News 88.9. St. John’s.
(12/03/28) CFAX 1070. Victoria.
(12/03/28) Radio NL. Kamloops.
(12/03/28) Newstalk 980. Regina.
(12/03/28) Fairchild TV. Vancouver.
(12/03/28) NewsTalk650. Saskatoon.
CFAX Live. (12/03/28) CTV2. Victoria.
Hill, A. (12/03/28). Saskatoon doctor endorses call for evidence based drug policy News Talk 980 CJME.
(12/03/28)CBC Radio One
(12/03/28)CBC Radio One the Link
(12/03/28)CBC Radio One St. John’s
(12/03/28)CBC Radio One Regina,
(12/03/28)CBC News,
(12/03/28)CBC Radio One Edmonton,
(12/03/28)CBC Radio One Charlottetown,
(12/03/28)CBC Radio One Calgary.
(12/03/28) Radio Canada. National.
(12/03/28) Radio Canada. National.
On the Coast. (12/03/28) CBC. Vancouver.
(12/03/28) CBC. Montreal.
(12/03/28) CBC. Halifax.
(12/03/28) CBC. Victoria.
Early Edition. (12/03/28) CBC. Vancouver.
(12/03/28) CBC News Network. National.
(12/03/28) CBC. Winnipeg.
The National. (12/03/28) CBC. National.
Poll: Should marijuana be taxed and regulated in Canada? (12/03/28) CBC.ca.
Branswell, H. (12/03/28). Public health leaders criticize Ottawa’s ideology based drug policies 680News. Toronto.

Television

Karim, N. (12/03/29). Decriminalize pot, say docs CTV Morning Live. Vancouver.
House, T. (12/03/29). National News Aboriginal Peoples Television Network. National.
Hartland, L. (12/03/28) CTV. Victoria.
(12/03/28) CHEK. Victoria.
(12/03/28) Global Maritimes. Halifax.
(12/03/28) Global News. National.
(12/03/28) Global BC. Vancouver.
Question Period. (12/03/28) CPAC. National.
Rethinking Canada’s drug policy. (12/03/28) CTV Canada AM. National.
(12/03/28) V Tele. Montreal.
(12/03/28) CBC Maritimes. Halifax.
(12/03/28) OMNI News. Toronto.
(12/03/28) CTV Morning Live. Winnipeg.
(12/03/28) Global Saskatoon. Saskatoon.
(12/03/28) CTV2. London.
(12/03/28) CTV. Calgary.
DiBattista, L. (12/03/28) CBC. Toronto.
(12/03/28) CTV News Channel. National.
More calls for legal pot. (12/03/28) CTV. Vancouver.
(12/03/28) CTV. Halifax.
Call for ban of illicit drugs. (12/03/28) CTV. National.
Ottawa’s ideology-based drug policies under fire. (12/03/28) CTV News.
Pemberton, K. (12/03/28). B.C’s chief medical officer latest to support legalizing pot Global BC.
Branswell, H. (12/03/28). B.C.’s top medical officer wants pot decriminalized CTV News.
Ottawa’s drug policy under fire from health providers. (12/03/28) CTV News.
Branswell, H. (12/03/28). Public health leaders criticize Ottawa’s ideology based drug policies CityTV Toronto. Toronto.
Branswell, H. (12/03/28). Public health leaders criticize Ottawa’s ideology based drug policies Global Maritimes. Halifax.
Branswell, H. (12/03/28). Public health leaders criticize Ottawa’s ideology based drug policies Global Toronto. Toronto.
Branswell, H. (12/03/28). Public health leaders criticize Ottawa’s ideology based drug policies Global News.
Branswell, H. (12/03/28). Public health leaders criticize Ottawa’s ideology based drug policies Global Saskatoon. Saskatoon.
Ottawa’s ideology based drug policies under fire. (12/03/28) CTV. Montreal.

Canadian Public Health Physicians Join BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS in Calling for Evidence‐Based Drug Policy to Improve Community Health and Safety

eapaul — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 07:20:20 +0000

Dr. Perry Kendall of British Columbia and Dr. Robert Strang of Nova Scotia call for evaluation of alternative strategies to reduce unwanted harms incurred by current approach to illicit drugs

Vancouver, British Columbia (March 28, 2012): Two Canadian chief provincial medical health officers have highlighted discordance between scientific evidence and drug policy decision‐making, and endorsed a discussion of new approaches, including the evaluation of taxation and regulation strategies as a more effective way to improve community health and safety in Canada.

The BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS (BC‐CfE) today published a paper in Open Medicine, an international, peer‐reviewed medical journal reviewing the evidence on the effectiveness of current illicit‐drug policies. The opinions expressed in the paper by the authors are their own professional opinions as public health physicians and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of their employers.

The paper focuses on cannabis and concludes: “In light of the persistently widespread availability and relative safety of cannabis in comparison to existing legal drugs, as well as the crime and violence that exist secondary to prohibition of this drug, there is a need for discussion about the optimal regulatory strategy to reduce the harms of cannabis use while also reducing unintended policy‐attributable consequences (e.g., the organized crime that has emerged under prohibition).”

The paper recommends that the Canadian government re‐evaluate strategies such as mandatory minimum sentences, which have proven costly and ineffective in other nations. It notes that a growing number of European countries, such as Portugal and Holland, have treated drug use as a health rather than a criminal justice issue and have seen lower rates of drug use, as well as lower rates of drug‐related harms such as HIV infections, overdose deaths, and crime.

“There is clear evidence to demonstrate that the so called war on drugs has not achieved its stated objectives of reducing rates of drug use or drug availability,” said Dr. Perry Kendall, chief provincial medical health officer for B.C. and co‐author of the paper. “There are alternative approaches that have proved more effective in protecting public heath while not enriching organized crime and driving gang violence.”
Dr. Evan Wood, co‐director, Urban Health Research Initiative at the BC‐CfE and one of the co‐authors of the paper said that in the face of overwhelming evidence that the war‐on‐drugs approach is ineffective, the status quo must change if we really want to effectively counter the harms of illicit drugs and work towards creating safer communities for our children.

There has been growing support for regulation and taxation of marijuana in B.C. and the debate for drug policy reform has been gaining momentum across Canada. Earlier this year, Canada’s Liberal party voted in favour of the resolution to tax and regulate marijuana citing the failure of the war‐on‐drugs strategy. Recently, in B.C., former Vancouver mayors, premiers and provincial attorneys general have spoken out in favour of taxation and regulation of marijuana.

“Canada needs to pause and re‐evaluate its current approach to drug policy and embrace evidence‐ based strategies that can meaningfully improve community health and safety,” said Dr. Robert Strang, chief provincial medical health officer for Nova Scotia and co‐author of the paper.

To read the full paper titled Improving community health and safety in Canada through evidence‐based policies on illegal drugs, please go to: http://www.openmedicine.ca/.

Click Here for Paper

About the British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS

The BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS (BC‐CfE) (www.cfenet.ubc.ca) is Canada’s largest HIV/AIDS research, treatment and education facility and is internationally recognized as an innovative world leader in combating HIV/AIDS and related diseases. It is based at St. Paul’s Hospital, Providence Health Care, a teaching hospital of the University of British Columbia. The BC‐CfE works in close collaboration with key provincial stakeholders, including health authorities, health care providers, academics from other institutions, and the community to improve the health of British Columbians living with HIV through developing, monitoring and disseminating comprehensive research and treatment programs for HIV and related illnesses.

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For additional information or to request an interview, please contact:

Mahafrine Petigara
Edelman (for BC‐CfE)
604‐623‐3007 ext. 297
mahafrine.petigara@edelman.com