B.C. pot advocate's petition to decriminalize marijuana comes up short | iNFOnews | Thompson-Okanagan's News Source
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B.C. pot advocate's petition to decriminalize marijuana comes up short

VICTORIA - A British Columbia pot activist has come up 100,000 signatures short in his province-wide petition aimed at decriminalizing marijuana.

Sensible BC Director Dana Larsen has been collecting signatures since the summer in an attempt to eventually propose a law that would prevent police from enforcing simple marijuana possession laws.

Legislation rules say Larsen must collect just over 300,000 signatures by today's deadline to force either a vote in the legislature or a non-binding referendum, but Larsen says he expects to hand over just 200,000 signatures to Elections BC this afternoon.

Still, Larsen says Sensible BC will continue its push for decriminalization, and another signature drive is possible in the future.

Several former B.C. politicians have thrown their support behind the decriminalization of marijuana, and federal Liberal leader Justin Trudeau has been outspoken about his support for the legalization, taxation and regulation of pot.

The Liberal government in B.C. has largely avoided marijuana reform, saying drug laws are in the federal government's jurisdiction.

News from © The Canadian Press, 2013
The Canadian Press

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