Calling all cannabis crusaders. Organizers behind a campaign to decriminalize possession of marijuana are coming to Burnaby and looking for volunteers to help the cause.
Sensible B.C., a movement spearheaded by pot activist Dana Larsen, is calling for the decriminalization of marijuana possession, followed by legalization so the substance can be regulated and taxed.
Larsen wants to bring in the Sensible Policing Act, which would amend the provincial Police Act, to prevent law enforcement from taking action in cases of cannabis possession for adults. Sensible B.C. is hoping to collect 350,000 signatures across B.C. to trigger a provincewide vote on the issue. Campaigners are coming to Burnaby on Friday, Sept. 6 to sign up volunteers.
"We'll need a few thousand volunteer canvassers to collect the roughly 400,000 signatures required. ... Anyone who wants to help out and become a canvasser should come to our events, or visit our website at sensiblebc.ca," Larsen said in a press release.
"Our polling shows over 70 per cent support in B.C. for the provisions of the Sensible Policing Act," Larsen added. "The question for us is, are there enough British Columbians who feel passionately about this issue for us to find the many canvassers and volunteers we need?" According to Sensible B.C., Burnaby Mayor Derek Corrigan has expressed support for the campaign and spoke at a Sensible B.C. forum held at Simon Fraser University last March.
The Sensible B.C. meeting and canvasser registration event is on Friday, Sept. 6 at 7 p.m. at the Tommy Douglas Library at 7311 Kingsway. The official signaturegathering period begins on Sept. 9 and lasts for 90 days. So far, the campaign has 1,200 canvassers registered.
The Sensible B.C. tour has already visited the Interior, Northern B.C. and Vancouver Island.
After touring the Interior, Northern B.C. and Vancouver Island, next week sees Larsen putting on a series of events across the Lower Mainland before the official signature-gathering period begins on Sept. 9. For more information on the campaign, go to sensiblebc.ca.
