Stop the Violence BC endorses the Sensible BC campaign

Posted on September 9, 2013 by mmontaner

Stop the Violence BC has long argued that decriminalization is an insufficient policy response when it comes to addressing the range of public health and safety concerns associated with cannabis prohibition. That said, it is the position of the Stop the Violence BC steering committee that decriminalization stands to minimize a variety of pressing social and economic concerns.*

The legislation tabled by Sensible BC (described below) is designed as a first step towards taxation and regulation of cannabis for recreational use by adults and it is on that basis that Stop the Violence BC is pleased to endorse their campaign.

Stop the Violence BC encourages all of our supporters to consider working with the Sensible BC team to help people understand that the campaign does have a mechanism through which it is pushing for taxation and regulation and that decriminalization is just the first step.

For more information about Sensible BC or to participate in their campaign for a marijuana referendum, please visit www.sensiblebc.ca.

*PLEASE NOTE: Stop the Violence BC’s endorsement may not reflect the personal views of all our coalition members.

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The following summary is taken from the Sensible BC website. To review the entire legislation, please click here.

PART ONE: Decriminalize marijuana possession

The first part of the Sensible Policing Act is an amendment to the BC Police Act, which redirects all police in the province from using any police resources, including member time, on investigations, searches, seizures, citations, arrests or detentions related solely to simple possession of cannabis.

This section applies to all police in the province, essentially decriminalizing the simple possession of cannabis in BC. It doesn’t impact on any of the laws around trafficking, possession for the purposes of trafficking, or cultivation.

To deal with minors, the Sensible Policing Act also adds cannabis to the section of the BC Liquor Control Act which covers minors in possession of alcohol. This will enable a police officer to confiscate cannabis from a minor, in exactly the same manner and with the same penalties as for alcohol.

PART TWO: Work towards legal regulation

The second part of the Sensible Policing Act formally calls upon the federal government to repeal cannabis prohibition by removing cannabis from the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, or to give British Columbia a “Section 56” exemption, so that our province can start legally taxing and regulating cannabis, using lessons learned from alcohol and tobacco.

This section also mandates the provincial government to launch a public commission, which will hold hearings to study and recommend the specific rules needed for the province to implement a legally regulated cannabis system once the federal government allows it.

B.C. political parties respond to call for support of legalized marijuana trial

Posted on May 3, 2013 by mmontaner

Four major political parties differ on backing of research study despite poll demonstrating overwhelming public support in favour

Related materials: Overview of party responses, full text of party responses, original questionnaire, polling data, FAQs, PDF of press release

Vancouver, BC [May 3, 2013] — Three of B.C.’s major political parties have responded to a questionnaire asking whether they would oppose a small-scale research trial to evaluate the taxation and regulation of adult cannabis use.

The questionnaire was issued by Stop the Violence BC (STVBC), a coalition of law enforcement officials, legal experts, public health officials and academic experts advocating for a research trial to investigate whether the taxation and strict regulation of adult marijuana use could reduce profits to organized crime and better prevent youth access to the drug.

When asked whether they would prevent a federally and ethically approved study of this nature, both the BC NDP and the Green Party of BC indicated their support of the evaluation, while the BC Liberals responded that a research trial would have to be initiated by the federal government and only then would they give the proposal “serious consideration.” The BC Conservatives chose not respond to the questionnaire.

“It’s encouraging to see leading political parties are open to investigating alternatives to cannabis prohibition,” said Randie Long, a member of STVBC and former Federal Prosecutor. “As a federal prosecutor who has witnessed the ineffectiveness and serious harms resulting from the criminal justice approach to cannabis control, I believe politicians across jurisdictions should be actively searching for alternatives.”

The questionnaire was sent to the parties on April 18 following the release of an Angus Reid poll showing that British Columbians overwhelmingly support the province undertaking a pilot study to evaluate the taxation and regulation of adult cannabis use. The survey, conducted between April 8 and 9, found that 73 per cent of British Columbians support a B.C. research trial conducted by local experts and health scientists.

“To suggest the federal government would have to initiate a research trial is a completely inaccurate statement,” said Kash Heed, a longtime law enforcement official and former MLA for Vancouver-Fraserview in reference to the Liberal Party’s response. “Some of our political leaders continue to bury their heads in the sand instead of taking decisive leadership. With all the grow ops and prohibition-related violence that is ongoing in B.C. communities, provincial politicians cannot continue to bury their heads in the sand and pass the buck to the federal government.”

In response to applications from B.C. researchers, the federal government has recently provided research exemptions that allow British Columbian studies on the impacts of heroin prescription in the Downtown Eastside, as well as a trial of prescription MDMA (ecstasy) for post-traumatic stress disorder.

“Given the enormous costs and unintended consequences of cannabis prohibition, all political leaders should be endorsing carefully controlled assessments of alternative approaches,” said Dr. Evan Wood, founder of STVBC and Canadian Research Chair in Inner City Medicine at UBC. “For too long cannabis prohibition has endangered public health and safety by allowing organized criminals to control the industry. Especially now that Washington State has moved to tax and regulate adult cannabis use, B.C. must begin to research these types of alternatives.”

The proposed research trial is presently being designed, and initial proposals suggest it could operate with the objectives of improving community health and safety by: reducing unsafe and illegal grow ops through sanctioned cannabis producers, redirecting organized crime profits to fund addiction treatment and other underfunded health and social programs, and carefully assess for potential negative consequences for trial participants and the local community.

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

For more information about Stop the Violence BC or to interview a coalition member, please contact:

Bridgitte Anderson
c. 604.761.8048
e. bridgitte.anderson@edelman.com

Majority Supports Study to Evaluate Taxation and Regulation of Marijuana

Posted on April 18, 2013 by mmontaner

New poll shows 73 per cent support research trial to evaluate whether taxation and regulation of marijuana could reduce profits to organized crime; questionnaire sent to B.C. political parties

Vancouver, BC [April 18, 2013] — A new Angus Reid poll released today shows that British Columbians overwhelmingly support the province undertaking a pilot study to evaluate the taxation and regulation of adult cannabis use.

The survey, conducted between April 8 and 9, found that 73 per cent of British Columbians support a B.C. research trial conducted by local experts and health scientists to evaluate whether the taxation and strict regulation of adult marijuana use could reduce profits to organized crime and better prevent youth access to the drug.

Downloads: poll results, questionnaire, frequently asked questions, media release [PDF]

Furthermore, 44 per cent of British Columbians say their perception of a provincial political party would improve if they supported a trial of this nature, compared to 33 per cent who say their opinion would be unchanged and just 12 per cent who said their opinion would worsen.

“These results clearly indicate British Columbians, regardless of their political affiliation, would welcome researching a new approach to marijuana policy involving the taxation and regulation of adult use,” said Mario Canseco, Vice President, Angus Reid Public Opinion. “Consistently our polling results are showing the public is demanding a new approach and turning away from strategies like mandatory minimum sentences for marijuana offenses.”

Stop the Violence BC (STVBC) has issued an Election 2013 questionnaire to B.C.’s four major political parties in advance of the May 14th election asking whether they would support a research trial of cannabis regulation.

“British Columbians clearly want their politicians to show leadership on marijuana policy reform,” said Geoff Plant, who served as B.C. attorney general from 2001 to 2005 under the BC Liberals. “With the province facing an election in a few weeks, now is the time for all political parties to let the public know whether they will support the proposed research trial of cannabis taxation and regulation.”

An Angus Reid poll from November 2012 showed 75 per cent support for the taxation and regulation of marijuana, and voters in both Washington State and Colorado recently passed initiatives to tax and regulate the adult use of marijuana.

“What we’ve witnessed in Washington State is the public no longer tolerating poorly conceived laws and rejecting marijuana prohibition as an enormous failure in the United States,” said John McKay, the former U.S. attorney for the Western District of Washington State. “British Columbia has an opportunity to join Washington State and show the world, criminal prohibition is a costly failure and public health and safety will be better served by legalization, strict regulation and capturing, through taxation, the profits we’ve handed over to the drug cartels and thugs for decades.”

STVBC is advocating for a research group to develop and coordinate an ethically approved research trial to assess the impacts of a government-sanctioned cannabis retail establishment for adult recreational cannabis users. Such a trial could legally operate under a Section 56 exemption of the federal Controlled Drugs and Substances Act and would assess impacts on users and the local community as well as estimate operation costs and potential tax revenue. The federal government has recently provided Section 56 exemptions to assess the impacts of heroin prescription in the Downtown Eastside as well as a trial of prescription MDMA (ecstasy) for post-traumatic stress disorder.

“Our politicians have been out of step with public opinion on this issue for too long,” said Ujjal Dosanjh, former New Democratic premier of B.C. “With the support of nearly three-quarters of British Columbians on the one hand, and prohibition-related violence and criminal activity across B.C. on the other, our provincial leaders have to support researching alternatives.”

The proposed research trial is presently being designed, and initial proposals suggest it could operate with the objectives of improving community health and safety by: reducing unsafe and illegal grow ops through sanctioned safe cannabis producers, redirecting organized crime profits to fund addiction treatment and other underfunded health and social programs, and assess for potential negative consequences for trial participants and the local community.

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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 more information about Stop the Violence BC or to interview a coalition member, please contact:

Kevin Hollett
Phone: 604-682-2344 ext. 66536
Mobile: 778-848-3420
khollett@cfenet.ubc.ca

Leading authority on drug policy and the war on drugs to speak at Munk School of Global Affairs

Posted on March 15, 2013 by mmontaner

Ethan Nadelmann Available for Interviews: Topics Include Marijuana Legalization Victories in CO and WA, Growing Debate in Latin America on Alternatives to Drug War and Drug Policy Issues in Canada

March 12, 2013 (Toronto, Canada) – Ethan Nadelmann will be featured at the Centre for Study of the United States at the Munk School giving a talk entitled, “The Rise and Fall of the Global Drug Prohibition Regime.”

Ethan Nadelmann will address issues specific to Canada, as well as international matters such as:

Current debate on drug legalization in Latin America
Marijuana legalization in Colorado and Washington
Drug policy and the Obama Administration

Described by Rolling Stone as “the point man” for drug policy reform efforts, Ethan Nadelmann is widely regarded as the outstanding proponent of drug policy reform both in the United States and abroad. Ethan Nadelmann is the founder and executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance, the leading organization in the United States promoting alternatives to the war on drugs. Nadelmann received his B.A., J.D., and Ph.D. in Political Science from Harvard as well as a Masters’ degree in International Relations from the London School of Economics, and taught at Princeton University for seven years. His writings have appeared in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal,Science, and National Review, and he has appeared on programs including Real Time with Bill Maher, the Colbert Report, ABC’s Nightline, a Ted Koppel Special Report, NBC’s Today Show, NBC Nightly News, CBS’s 48 Hours, CBS Morning News, and Larry King Live.

The lecture is organized by Centre for Study of the United States at the Munk School of Global Affairs, and the Department for the Study of Religion, University of Toronto.

EVENT DETAILS:

WHO/WHAT: Ethan Nadelmann: The Rise and Fall of the Global Drug Prohibition Regime, part of the CSUS and F.Ross Johnson Speaker Series
WHERE: Munk School of Global Affairs, Room 208N http://munkschool.utoronto.ca/event/13536/WHEN: Tuesday, March 19, 2013, 5:00pm – 7:00pm

On Wednesday, March 20, at 3:00pm, Ethan Nadelmann will also participate in a University of Toronto public forum titled, “Whose conviction? Religion and the (De)criminalization of Drugs.” http://rps.chass.utoronto.ca/doc/RPS-Drugs-Forum-Workshop-web.pdf

ABOUT THE CENTRE FOR STUDY OF THE UNITED STATES: Housed in the Munk School of Global Affairs, the Centre for the Study of the United States (CSUS) represents the largest collection of U.S.-focused scholars in Canada, as well as the greatest concentration of U.S. expertise in Canada’s history. Drawing on the resources of the Munk School, and with over 66 faculty affiliates, it has an unprecedented strength in U.S. expertise and in American Studies, both institutionally and nationally. For more information about CSUS and the Munk School of Global Affairs please visit:www.munkschool.utoronto.ca.

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Contact:
Kevin O’Neill (416.978.7050) kevin.oneill@utoronto.ca
Tony Newman (646.335.5384) tnewman@drugpolicy.org

Local groups rally in support of the “most important drug war film you will ever see”

Posted on February 28, 2013 by mmontaner

2012 Sundance Film Festival Winner debuts in Vancouver this Friday, welcomed by Vancouver academic, advocacy, and business groups

Vancouver B.C. [February 28] – Organizations across the city are encouraging the public to attend limited screenings of The House I Live In, a U.S. documentary that has been heralded as “the definitive film on the failure of America’s drug war” and “a masterpiece filled with hope and the potential to effect change” showing this month at VanCity Theatre.

Filmed in more than 20 states across America, The House I Live In describes the consequences of America’s “war on drugs”. From the dealer to the grieving mother, the narcotics officer to the senator, the inmate to the federal judge, the film covers every angle of America’s longest war – and rings a warning bell for countries like Canada that are following in the footsteps of the U.S.’s failed “tough-on-crime” approach to drug policy.

Groups across Vancouver – including past and present members of law enforcement, internationally renowned researchers, health care organizations, student coalitions and members of the business community – are voicing their support for the film and encouraging attendance at the five screenings between Friday, March 1 and Wednesday, March 12.

This release is circulated by Stop the Violence BC on behalf of the following organizations that have publicly endorsed the film:

Urban Health Research Initiative (www.uhri.cfenet.ubc.ca)
Positive Women’s Network (www.pwn.bc.ca)
Law Enforcement Against Prohibition – Canada (www.leap.cc)
Canadian Students for Sensible Drug Policy – Vancouver (www.cssdp.org)
St. Paul’s Hospital Foundation (www.helpstpauls.com)
Megaphone Magazine (www.megaphonemagazine.ca)
Providence Health Care (www.providencehealthcare.org)
Collaborating Centre for Prison Health and Education
Canadian Drug Policy Coalition (www.drugpolicy.ca)(www.ccphe.familymed.ubc.ca)
The Media Merchants (www.themediamerchants.ca)
Stop the Violence BC (www.stoptheviolencebc.org)
BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS (www.cfenet.ubc.ca)

To view a trailer for The House I Live In, click here.

For a list of screenings, click here.

Why local organizations are encouraging people to see this film:

“After viewing the film, I was immersed in the care of addicted individuals admitted to St. Paul’s Hospital and I have not been able to shake the feeling that I should spend some energy trying to have the film seen by influential people locally. I think it has real potential to engage people who have not well understood some of the work we, as publicly funded researchers and healthcare providers, are collectively doing.”

– Dr. Evan Wood, Professor of Medicine at UBC & Canada Research Chair in Inner City Medicine

“The drug war is a long-term battle that isn’t close to being “won” by anyone, yet has far-reaching negative effects. The House I Live In promises to be a film that considers the battles around drugs that go beyond drugs themselves- poverty, racism, literacy, gender inequities and other social determinants of health. We are excited to see this film come to Vancouver.”

– Janet Madsen, Communications Coordinator, BC Positive Women’s Network

“It is important for all Canadians to watch this film and understand the damage that the United States has suffered as a result of the war on drugs, mandatory minimum sentences, and similar policies. This is not the right path for our country.”

– C. Ross Lander, Ret. BC Supreme Court Justice & Member, Law Enforcement Against Prohibition – Canada

“The war on drugs has disproportionately affected low-income people. I hope this important documentary is seen by policymakers who are in a position to end this failed policy.”

– Sean Condon, Executive Director, Megaphone Magazine

“At St. Paul’s Hospital, I’ve seen the role that the treatment of addictions can play in solving the medical and social issues that face our most vulnerable populations. We encourage everyone to watch documentaries like ‘The House I Live In’ to learn about the scope of the illicit drug problem – and the need to address it.”

– Dick Vollet, President and CEO, St. Paul’s Hospital Foundation

“Everyone should watch ‘The House I Live In’ to gain an understanding of how the War on Drugs negatively impacts our personal lives and society as a whole. The “War on Drugs” is a war on people.”

– Tera Holmes, Canadian Students for Sensible Drug Policy – Vancouver

“At its essence, ‘The House I Live In’ is about social justice. It makes a compelling case for society – and for each of us – to act justly and collectively; for each of us to take action toward overcoming inequities in our legal, political and social systems that disadvantage and punish the most marginalized people. As the leader of a health care organization that has a values-based approach to providing compassionate and socially just care, to me ‘The House I Live In’ reinforces the notion that we should all rightly be judged by how well we care for the most vulnerable members of our society.”

– Dianne Doyle, President and CEO, St. Paul’s Hospital/Providence Health Care

“The House I Live In is an extremely relevant film in a time when mass incarceration has become the norm in many countries, including the USA. Not only does the “War on Drugs” result in higher incarceration rates, it also contributes to the transmission of HIV and Hep C because of a lack of community-equivalent harm reduction programs inside prisons. While this film highlights the impact of the decades-long war on African American and Hispanic communities in the US, it is important to note that similar inequities exist in Canada, where the burden of incarceration is disproportionately shouldered by Aboriginal communities.”

– Dr. Ruth Elwood Martin, Clinical Professor UBC Department of Family Practice & Chair, College of Family Physicians of Canada’s Prison Health SIFP

“If you want to understand the tragic impact that the war on drugs and policies such as mandatory minimum sentences (which Canada is now implementing) have had in destroying individuals, families and communities in the United States, this film is instructive. Canada needs to join those countries that are calling for an end to this destructive war.”

– Donald MacPherson, Director, Canadian Drug Policy Coalition

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Media: To interview the above quoted, please contact:

Dr. Evan Wood, Professor of Medicine at UBC &
Canada Research Chair in Inner City Medicine
khollett@cfenet.ubc.ca; 604-682-2344 ext. 66520

Janet Madsen, Communications Coordinator, BC Positive Women’s Network
JanetM@pwn.bc.ca; 604-692-3009

C. Ross Lander, Ret. Supreme Court Justice & Member
Law Enforcement Against Prohibition – Canada
khollett@cfenet.ubc.ca; 604-682-2344 ext. 66520

Sean Condon, Executive Director, Megaphone Magazine
sean@megaphonemagazine.com; 604-345-7227

Dick Vollet, President and CEO, St. Paul’s Hospital Foundation
BDare@providencehealth.bc.ca; 604-806-9850

Tera Holmes, Canadian Students for Sensible Drug Policy – Vancouver
cssdpvancouver@gmail.com

Dianne Doyle, President and CEO, St. Paul’s Hospital/Providence Health Care
shussain@providencehealth.bc.ca; 604.806.8566

Dr. Ruth Elwood Martin, Clinical Professor, UBC Department of Family Practice &
Chair, College of Family Physicians of Canada’s Prison Health SIFP
ruth.martin@familymed.ubc.ca; 604-822-2496

Donald MacPherson, Director, Canadian Drug Policy Coalition
dhaddow@drugpolicy.ca; 778-388-3457

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.

Media: for more information, please contact:

Kevin Hollett
Phone: 604-682-2344 ext. 66536
Mobile: 778-848-3420
khollett@cfenet.ubc.ca

New Study Shows Potential Domestic Tax Revenue at $2.5 billion over next 5 years

Posted on November 14, 2012 by eapaul

British Columbia’s cannabis market could generate more than $2.5 billion in tax revenue over next five years

New study challenges argument that BC’s cannabis market cannot be taxed

Vancouver, B.C. [November 20, 2012] — Based on current consumption patterns, British Columbia’s domestic cannabis market could be worth more than $500-million annually, according to a new study by a coalition of researchers from the University of British Columbia and Simon Fraser University.

Downloads: Report, Polling Data, Infographic

The study, published this month in the peer-reviewed International Journal of Drug Policy, is the first to estimate the size of B.C.’s domestically consumed cannabis market using provincial surveillance data. Researchers found that the estimated retail expenditure on cannabis by British Columbians was approximately $443-million to $564-million annually. The study concludes that regulating the provincial cannabis market could provide government with approximately $2.5 billion in tax and licensing revenues over the next five years.

“If you begin to stand back and calculate just how much potential tax revenue is instead going to fuel organized crime, it really highlights how we need to start questioning our current approach,” said Dr. Evan Wood, senior author of the study and Canada Research Chair in Inner City Medicine at UBC. “The results demonstrate how cannabis is such a highly lucrative and reliable source of income for organized crime, and that a regulated system in B.C. could generate significant tax revenue for services that actually address community health and safety.”

Provincial policing agencies estimate that 85% of the cannabis market in B.C. is currently controlled by organized crime groups. Data on electrical power usage and from police raids suggest that the number of cannabis grow operations in the province nearly doubled between 2003 and 2010, further demonstrating the increasing involvement of organized crime groups in the domestic production and distribution of cannabis. This increase in gang activity has also corresponded with rising gang violence in the province. In 2009, the RCMP reported 276 incidents of drive-by shootings in B.C.

“The enormity of B.C.’s illegal cannabis market demonstrates the failure of law enforcement efforts to rein in the illegal cannabis trade,” said Neil Boyd, Professor, School of Criminology at Simon Fraser University. “B.C.’s cannabis prohibition laws have proven to be ineffective, instead fueling gang activity and violence in communities throughout the province and across our borders.”

U.S. ballot measures provide model for taxation and regulation of cannabis in B.C.
Two U.S. states, Washington and Colorado, recently passed ballot measures approving the legalization of cannabis for adult use under a strictly regulated system. In Washington, voters approved Initiative 502, which creates a 25% tax on the sale of cannabis, 55% of which would be directed to health care, 25% for drug abuse treatment and medication, 1% for cannabis-related research and the remaining 19% directed to general revenue. Estimates have suggested that the revenue generated under this system could exceed $500-million annually, potentially more than state revenues generated by either tobacco or alcohol.

A previously unreleased Angus Reid poll asked British Columbians how they would allocate funds under a provincial system taxing and regulating the adult use of cannabis.

31% of British Columbians believe the most effective way to allocate funds derived from cannabis tax revenue would be toward drug prevention and addiction treatment
Another 31% would allocate cannabis tax revenue to health care
12% would allocate funds to drug law enforcement

The Angus Reid poll was commissioned by Stop the Violence BC (STVBC), a coalition of academic, legal, law enforcement and health experts concerned about the links between cannabis prohibition in B.C. and the growth of organized crime and related violence in the province. Since launching a year ago, STVBC has received high-profile endorsements from across the law enforcement, public health and political sectors, including the Health Officers Council of B.C., four former mayors of Vancouver and four former B.C. attorneys general.

“B.C.’s law enforcement efforts have proven to be completely ineffective at reducing production and availability of cannabis to our youth, and have instead fueled gang activity and violence in communities throughout the province,” said Ujjal Dosanjh, B.C.’s attorney general from 1995 to 2000 and premier from 2000 to 2001. “When you look at the enormous potential to save on policing costs, raise government revenue and wage economic war on organized crime, you understand why U.S. states have recently taken the taxation and regulation approach.”

Dan Werb, lead author of the study and co-founder of the International Centre for Science in Drug Policy, said that while the recent ballot measures in the U.S. could impact the large export market of B.C. cannabis, the study shows that there will remain a significant domestic revenue stream that will continue to fuel organized crime across the province regardless of changes south of the border.

“We now know the degree to which prohibition has made the cannabis trade lucrative for gangs and, in turn, made our communities less safe,” Werb said. “From a public health perspective, we also know that making cannabis illegal has not achieved its stated objectives of limiting supply or impacting the level of cannabis use, particularly among young people. The sheer volume of the cannabis industry in B.C. suggests that our system of cannabis control has failed and that alternatives should be explored.”

To read the full paper, titled Estimating the economic value of British Columbia’s domestic cannabis market: Implications for provincial cannabis policy, please visit here.
To view the Angus Reid polling data, please visit here.

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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/coalition-members/ .

Media: to speak with a member of the Stop the Violence BC Coalition, please contact:

Kevin Hollett
BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS
604 682 2344 ext. 66536
khollett@cfenet.ubc.ca

Sunny McKechnie
250 816 7610
Sunny.McKechnie@edelman.com

Public Opinion Reaches Tipping Point

Posted on October 31, 2012 by mmontaner

Increasing Majority of British Columbians Support Ending Cannabis Prohibition – Public Opinion Reaches Tipping Point

New poll shows 75% support taxation and regulation of cannabis; Public Health Association of BC latest to join Stop the Violence BC coalition

Vancouver, B.C. [November 1, 2012] — A new Angus Reid poll released today overwhelmingly shows that British Columbians favour moving away from cannabis prohibition toward a system of regulation and taxation, and that lawmakers continue to lag far behind public opinion on revamping cannabis laws in B.C.

DOWNLOADS: Report, Polling Data

The survey, conducted between October 22 and 24, found that 75% of B.C. respondents support the taxation and regulation of cannabis over chasing and arresting cannabis producers and sellers, a jump of six percentage points from just one year ago.

“These results reveal a quite remarkable and growing dissatisfaction among British Columbians with the status quo and an eagerness for policymakers to pursue an entirely new approach to cannabis policy,” said Mario Canseco, Vice President, Angus Reid Public Opinion. “These beliefs cut across political, social and regional lines. I can’t think of any other issue where the laws on the books are inconsistent with the wishes of three-quarters of British Columbians.”

The poll results come a year after a similar Angus Reid survey, and demonstrate increasing public opinion that cannabis prohibition in B.C. has been ineffective and caused significant social harms and public safety issues, such as increased organized crime, gang violence and illegal marijuana grow ops.

Key Angus Reid poll data:

Only 14% of British Columbians believe possession of a marijuana cigarette should lead to a criminal record, down from 20% one year ago
75% support the taxation and regulation of cannabis over chasing and arresting cannabis producers and sellers, an increase of six percentage points from 2011
74% would be comfortable living in a society where adult cannabis consumption was taxed and legally regulated under a public health framework, an increase of four percentage points from last year
At 62%, fewer BC residents support decriminalizing marijuana use than the proportion that support outright taxation and regulation

The poll surveyed 799 respondents in B.C. The results have a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.

The Angus Reid survey was released by Stop the Violence BC (STVBC), a growing coalition of academic, legal, law enforcement and health experts calling for the reform of cannabis laws to reduce the unintended harms attributable to the illegal cannabis trade, including the growth of organized crime and gang violence. A STVBC report marking the achievements during the year since the coalition’s launch, entitled BC Cannabis Policy: The time for leadership is now, was released in tandem with the polling results.

“From a scientific and public safety perspective, making cannabis illegal has clearly been an expensive and harmful failure,” said Dr. Evan Wood, founder of Stop the Violence BC and Canada Research Chair in Inner City Medicine at UBC. “With 75% of British Columbians supporting change, and the status quo contributing to increasing harms in B.C. communities, it is absolutely time for politicians to catch up with the public.”

PHABC latest to join call for ending cannabis prohibition

Along with the release of the report and polling data, the Public Health Association of BC (PHABC) became the latest prominent expert body to endorse the Stop the Violence BC campaign. PHABC is a voluntary, non-profit, non-government organization comprised of B.C.’s public health leaders whose mission is to preserve and promote the public’s health.

“From a public health perspective, we urgently need to research alternatives to our current approach to cannabis which has clearly failed to protect public health and has actually resulted in substantial individual and community harms,” said Dr. Marjorie MacDonald, President of PHABC. “Whether it be the organized crime concerns, the free and easy availability of marijuana that exists under prohibition, the life altering negative consequences of a criminal record for an otherwise law abiding young person or simply the enormous waste of public resources – all are reasons to reform this failed policy. Strict regulation, guided by proven public health principles, is clearly the logical way forward.”

Since launching a year ago, STVBC has received many high-profile endorsements from across the law enforcement, public health and political sectors, including the Health Officers Council of BC, four former mayors of Vancouver and four former B.C. attorneys general. The PHABC endorsement follows noteworthy support from eight current B.C. mayors and the passing in September of a Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) resolution calling for research into the taxation and regulation of cannabis.

A call for political leadership

In its report, STVBC highlights the discordance between government policy in B.C. and the recommendations of leading British Columbian experts and the wishes of the public. The report urges provincial politicians to demonstrate their leadership by telling British Columbians that they support researching a new approach involving a pilot study of the strict regulation and taxation of adult cannabis use under a public health framework.

“Our politicians are clearly out of step with public opinion when it comes to cannabis policy,” said Kash Heed, MLA for Vancouver-Fraserview

and one of the most recent politicians to publicly endorse STVBC. “We can’t continue to ignore the remarkable consensus among the public. It’s time for the political leaders at all levels of government to act on the overwhelming evidence linking cannabis prohibition to organized crime and gang violence and to support researching alternatives.”

B.C. now risks falling behind its U.S. neighbours when it comes to cannabis prohibition. Next week, three states will vote on ballot measures to approve the taxation and regulation of adult marijuana use, including Washington State, where voters will vote on Initiative 502. STVBC coalition members argued this week in a Seattle Times op-ed that if Initiative 502 is passed, it could help cripple B.C.’s gangs.

STVBC is encouraging policymakers at all levels of government to contact them with any questions about how B.C. could support a new approach to cannabis policy.

For polling summary, including full results from 2011 and 2012, please click here.

For a copy of the STVBC year in review report, entitled BC Cannabis Policy: The time for leadership is now, please click here.

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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 cannabis-related policies that improve public health while reducing social harms, including violent crime. For a listing of coalition members and to learn more about the coalition, please visit www.stoptheviolencebc.org/about-us.

About Angus Reid Public Opinion

Angus Reid Public Opinion is the Public Affairs practice of Vision Critical headed by Dr. Angus Reid: an industry visionary who has spent more than four decades asking questions to figure out what people feel, how they think and who they will vote for.

Media: to speak to a member of the Stop the Violence BC coalition, please contact:

Kevin Hollett
604 682 2344 ext 66536
khollett@cfenet.ubc.ca

Sunny McKechnie
250 816 7610
Sunny.McKechnie@edelman.com

MLA Joan McIntyre joins Kash Heed, calls for regulation and taxation

Posted on October 18, 2012 by mmontaner

– This is not an official Stop the Violence BC Press Release; reprinted with the permission of MLA Joan McIntyre –

BC LIBERAL GOVERNMENT CAUCUS
STATEMENT

For immediate release
October 18, 2012

VICTORIA – Today, West Vancouver-Sea to Sky MLA Joan McIntyre released the following statement in support of Vancouver-Fraserview MLA Kash Heed’s call for the legalization and regulation of marijuana.

“I join my colleague MLA Kash Heed in support of the legalization of marijuana. Like MLA Heed, I believe that ending the prohibition of marijuana will make our communities safer by taking the industry out of the hands of organized crime. Kash Heed and other experts, such as Dr. Julio Montaner and Dr. Evan Wood of the organization, Stop the Violence BC, believe that marijuana prohibition increases gang violence in our province – violence which does not take place in a silo, but rather on the streets of our communities, putting B.C. families at risk.

“Prohibition has required a substantial investment in our police services, and places a heavy financial burden on the taxpayer. I believe, as my colleague Kash Heed does, that it draws police resources and capacity away from other, more pragmatic areas which would make our communities safer.

“In spite of the dedicated efforts of our police in B.C., a war on drugs only serves to drive organized crime further underground; it fails to end the cycle of violence and drug use, but succeeds in draining our coffers.

“I believe we need a paradigm shift from prohibition to one of regulation and taxation, making B.C. safer for us all.”

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Media contact: Mark Knudsen, BC Government Caucus Communications, (250) 356-1539

Kash Heed calls for the regulation and taxation of marijuana

Posted on October 18, 2012 by mmontaner

BC MLA speaks out against marijuana prohibition in short film, joins Stop the Violence BC

CLICK HERE FOR THE FILM

Vancouver, BC [October 18, 2012] — Kash Heed, a long-time law enforcement official and MLA, is calling for the legalization and taxation of cannabis to better protect communities and reduce related organized crime activity resulting from the illegal marijuana trade.

In a video and written statement released today, Kash Heed shared his experiences about the devastating consequences of cannabis prohibition, based on his 31 years in law enforcement as a beat cop, a police chief, and head of both the Vancouver Police Department Drug Unit and Indo-Canadian Gang Violence Task Force.

“In the early 1990s, I began to fully recognize the futility and the social, economic and public health costs of continuing marijuana prohibition,” wrote Heed in the statement. “And I came to one inescapable conclusion—cannabis prohibition fuels gang violence in B.C. In fact, costly law enforcement efforts have only served to drive the marijuana industry deeper into the hands of violent organized crime groups.”

In his statement, Heed announced that he is joining Stop the Violence BC (STVBC), a coalition of academic, legal, law enforcement and health experts, and its campaign to reform cannabis laws to reduce the harms associated with the illegal cannabis trade, including gang violence. He joins a growing list of endorsements that includes a coalition of B.C. mayors, the Health Officers Council of B.C., four former mayors of Vancouver and former B.C. attorneys general. His statement follows the passing last month of a Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) resolution calling for the decriminalization of cannabis.

“It shows real political courage that Kash Heed, as a sitting member of a provincial legislature, has decided to speak out against these failed laws,” said Geoff Plant, who served as B.C. attorney general from 2001 to 2005. “It’s time for the rest of our political leaders to follow his lead and act on the overwhelming evidence linking marijuana prohibition to organized crime and gang violence.”

Kash Heed is the MLA for Vancouver-Fraserview. He is urging his current and former colleagues to improve community health and safety by overturning marijuana prohibition.

“I plan to use my remaining time in office to reach out to our provincial leaders and ensure that replacing cannabis prohibition with a more effective public health and safety strategy becomes a part of the public debate in the next provincial election,” said Heed. “Despite the effort to pass the buck to the federal government, this is a provincial issue—organized crime has been fuelled by B.C.’s failed marijuana policies, leading to gang violence, destructive grow-ops and easy access to marijuana for youth in each and every one of our communities.”

The video was produced and directed by Pete McCormack, an award winning filmmaker based in Vancouver.

“Evidence against marijuana prohibition is staggering: police fight impossible odds and the current approach is hypocritical, a tax-paying sinkhole that causes unintentional yet very real collateral damage and violence. And for what?” said McCormack. “To get the chance to interview Kash Heed, who has been right there in it, was inspiring to me as a filmmaker. If this video can influence other politicians’ and inspire contemporary drug policies, that would be amazing.”

Media can download the Kash Heed video here.
Watch the video here.
Read the full Kash Heed statement here.

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About Stop the Violence BC

For more information about Stop the Violence BC or to interview a coalition member, please contact:

Kevin Hollett
604 682 2344 ext 66536
khollett@cfenet.ubc.ca

UBCM passes resolution to decriminalize cannabis, study regulation and taxation

Posted on September 26, 2012 by mmontaner

B.C.’s mayors and councilors recognize that marijuana prohibition fuels organized crime

Vancouver, BC [September 26, 2012]—The Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) voted today in favour of a resolution calling for the decriminalization of cannabis at its annual convention.

Resolution A5, brought forward to the annual convention by the municipality of Metchosin, calls for UBCM to lobby the appropriate level of government to decriminalize cannabis and research its regulation and taxation.

“For too long our communities have borne the brunt of the harmful consequences of cannabis prohibition, from increased gang violence on our streets to enormous costs of enforcing a thoroughly discredited policy,” said Metchosin mayor John Ranns. “This vote result signals that it is time for our senior levels of government to listen to what the public and now our municipal leaders are saying: cannabis prohibition has been a failure.”

With the passing of the resolution, UBCM joins a growing chorus of high profile British Columbians calling for the end to cannabis prohibition, including eight current B.C. mayors, the Health Officers Council of B.C., four former mayors of Vancouver, and four former B.C. attorneys general.

“Today’s vote to support the decriminalization of cannabis and research its regulation and taxation reflects our commitment as municipal leaders to fiscal discipline and community health and safety,” said City of North Vancouver Mayor Darrell Mussatto, whose council passed a motion supporting the regulation of cannabis this past April. “Easy access to cannabis for our youth, grow-ops that fuel organized crime in our communities and the growing costs of enforcing failed marijuana policies are ample reason to re-examine cannabis prohibition.”

The vote followed a marijuana decriminalization debate that opened the UBCM convention on Monday. Among those speaking was Dr. Evan Wood, co-director of the Urban Health Research Initiative at the BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS and founder of Stop the Violence BC, 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.

“Prohibition has not achieved its stated objectives to reduce the demand for and supply of cannabis. Instead, current laws have resulted in negative social and economic consequences at the municipal and provincial level,” said Dr. Wood. “I commend our municipal representatives for showing leadership in taking steps towards changing a policy that has clearly failed to protect the health and safety of our communities.”

Dr. Wood added that the call to research the regulation and taxation of cannabis is a key part of the UBCM resolution.

“We believe that deregulation is only the first step in working towards a strictly regulated, taxed market for adult marijuana use,” he said. “Research to date indicates that a system of strict regulation will best impede the illegal market for marijuana and combat the organized crime gangs that profit from it.”

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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 click here.

For more information about Stop the Violence BC or to interview a coalition member, please contact:

Kevin Hollett
604-682-2344 ext 66536
778-848-3420
khollett@cfenet.ubc.ca