Hi folks,

I have created a group called eNDProhibition. This is an alliance of people who are members of the NDP and who support ending the war on drugs.

Our first effort is to try and get the BC NDP to pass a resolution supporting legalized marijuana. The BC NDP is having a convention in November, and there will be debate of various policy resolutions. I am working to get this resolution passed and I need the help of all pot reformers in the province.

For a resolution to be debated at the Convention it first needs to be passed by at least one riding association or NDP club in the province. This must happen by mid-September, three months before the convention. At that point, all the resolutions passed by the various clubs and riding associations are brought to a "central committee" that goes through them and decides which ones will end up being debated and voted on during the convention.

It is best if a resolution has been passed by more than one riding association or club. I would like to get this resolution passed by as many groups as possible in the next 6 weeks, so it has strong support.

I have the support of Sunshine Coast - Powell River MLA Nicholas Simons, and I think I can get this passed by both the Sunshine Coast NDP Club and the Powell River NDP Club.

If we can actually get the BC NDP to formally adopt a pro-legalization policy that would be a big step forwards. They will inevitably form government in BC at some point in the next two elections, and if we can get them educated now then we will have a future ally in an elected government.

The BC NDP has a convention every two years, so if we fail to get it passed this time then we start again for the 2007 convention.

I will post the text of the Proposed BC NDP Cannabis Resolution in my next message here.

BC NDP RESOLUTION ON NON-PUNITIVE CANNABIS POLICY

Whereas cannabis has a long history of social, religious and medicinal use in a wide variety of cultures around the world,

Whereas about 1.5 million Canadians, or 5% of Canada’s population, are current cannabis users, and that the vast majority of these people are otherwise law-abiding citizens,

Whereas over 20,000 Canadians are arrested each year for cannabis possession, taking up a great deal of police and court time and financial resources,

Whereas over 600,000 Canadians currently have criminal records for cannabis possession, resulting in a lifetime of restricted travel, potential denial of employment, and other serious repercussions,

Whereas studies into worldwide cannabis law have consistently shown that criminal prohibition of cannabis has little or no effect on the rate of use,

Whereas numerous public opinion polls conducted since 2000 show that most Canadians support eliminating criminal penalties for cannabis, with support for non-punitive marijuana policies strongest in BC,

Whereas the laws prohibiting cannabis are federal laws, yet the brunt of the costs of enforcing criminal sanctions against cannabis are borne by the provinces, in paying for the extra policing, court time and imprisonment,

Whereas the value of the BC cannabis industry is estimated at between 2 and 7 billion dollars, and that if taxed and regulated this industry would generate substantial revenues for provincial and federal governments,

Whereas in 1971, The Report of the Canadian Government Commission of Inquiry into the Non-Medical Use of Drugs, commonly known as the LeDain Commission, after exhaustive hearings and research, recommended allowing the cultivation and possession of cannabis for personal use,

Whereas the 1995 Report of the Task Force into Illicit Narcotic Overdose Deaths in British Columbia, written by BC’s Chief Coroner after extensive public hearings and research, found that one of the ways to reduce the harms caused by the use of “hard” drugs would be to legalize cannabis, and therefore recommended that the BC Attorney General pursue discussions with the federal government on legalization of cannabis possession,

Whereas in 2002 the Canadian Senate issued a comprehensive report on cannabis issues, after extensive research and hearings, which recommended that cannabis should be made legally available to adults and regulated by provincial governments in the same way that they operate the wine industry, plus that all criminal records for cannabis possession should be erased, and that access to medical cannabis should be expanded,

Whereas in June 2005 the City of Vancouver released a draft plan called Preventing Harm from Psychoactive Drug Use, which recommended that the federal government end cannabis prohibition and instead create a “legal regulatory framework for cannabis,”

Whereas the criminal prohibition of cannabis use and personal cultivation is inconsistent with the principles of “full economic, political and religious liberty for all” and the creation of a legal system which “must not be based, as is the present one, upon vengeance and fear, but upon an understanding of human behaviour,” as enshrined in the 1933 Regina Manifesto.

Whereas the criminal prohibition of cannabis use is inconsistent with the creation of “a society in which the worth and dignity of every human being is recognized and respected, and in which differences of origin, of religion and of opinion will be not only tolerated but valued as desirable and necessary to the beauty and richness of the human mosaic,” as enshrined in the 1983 Statement of Principles adopted at the 12th Federal NDP Convention in Regina,

Whereas the criminal prohibition of cannabis use is inconsistent with the principle that “the dignity, freedom and equality of the individual is a basic right that must be maintained and extended,” as enshrined in the Preamble to the Constitution of the BC NDP,

Whereas the policy of Canada’s federal NDP has long included a non-punitive, regulatory approach to cannabis, including a legally regulated and taxed cannabis supply, elimination of penalties for personal possession and cultivation, and amnesty for past possession convictions,

Whereas the policy of the Ontario NDP explicitly supports that of the federal party, and includes a non-punitive approach to cannabis, with a regulated and taxed legal cannabis supply,

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT: The BC New Democratic Party formally establish an explicit cannabis policy based upon a non-punitive, regulatory approach, including support for a legal supply of cannabis, elimination of all penalties for personal cultivation and possession, amnesty for past cannabis possession convictions, and increased access to cannabis for those with a legitimate medical need.

Looks good, Dana!

One thing. I think the 1.5 million Canadian pot consumers number may be too low.

About 8 years ago the Canadian Med assoc. estimated there were 400,000 med users in Canada.
By now, i'll bet that number is considerably higher now. Then add the estimated number of non-med users to that. I don't have any figures for non-med users. Would be good to get a hold of that. Stats can might have some recent figures. Also, one could look at current US stats and do a comparison based on Canadian population numbers.

Also, there's probably stats out there on how many Canadians have tried Cannabis, even just once.
That number is relevant and high. Might be 10 million (guess) or more.

* also, i pm'd you a message.

cheers,

Josh Melamed
http://Marijuana.Ca

sounds like your trying the same route the young liberals had to do to get their cannabis resolution to the floor at the liberal convention....

your points are valid and hard to argue against...

yes the 1.5 mil number seem low but...

"The Canadian Addiction Survey also reveals that 44.5% of Canadians admit to using marijuana in their lifetime and 14.1% of Canadians admitting to use in the past year. 54% of the over three million Canadians admitting use in the last year describe their use as monthly, weekly, or daily."

3 million is the 14% of canada's population which give us the big numbers ---- the 1.5 mil dana quotes is probably the 54% percent in the article that are admitted daily - weekly smokers

420eh

right on man, sounds like you gotalot fo excitement going on these days in terms of getting the NDP on our side.

I think we have a good chance the NDP will win at some point too..

On the federal level getting bill C17 reworked to cede the cannabis regulatory framework to localities would be a brilliant move. Nobody likes this bill and the feds could save face by passing the buck. This is done in the states where alcohol is allowed or not allowed at the county level. This would also quash the trade sanction argument, which is total BS anyway, big business would not allow a slow down at the border, never the less it could be sold as "a legal climate in Vancouver would not bring the wrath" on all of Canada.

Damn, and what it would do for health care dollars. Doctors would be moving here instead of leaving. BC would have the worlds greatist healthcare. Shit, just think of all the R&D bucks that would pour into BC..

Maybe Marc Boris could fit it in since he has joined the Liberals?

I can see Vancouver legalizing and being the shinning example that brings down the walls of prohibition everywhere. We're in for a fight because the prohibitionist know this, and their desperate..

This sounds like an easy sell to the government!! Lets do it!!

Thanks Dana,
Excellent work.

I think people can see the success of the more
progressive policies that are working on the East Side.

Maybe if not in favour, they'll at least be willing
to take the chance on trying something new that clearly makes sense.

Hello All,

I am happy to announce that the BC NDP Resolution on Non-punitive Cannabis Policy has been officially passed by the Sunshine Coast NDP Club. In a week it will be voted on by the entire Powell River - Sunshine Coast Constituency Association, and I expect it will also pass there.

Now that it has passed the Club, this means that the resolution will now go to the BC NDP Council, along with a zillion other resolutions from around the province. The Council will vet the resolutions, organize them, edit them, toss some and amalgamate others. Then the set of resolutions goes to the BC NDP convention in October, where they get debated and voted on. Those that are passed become party policy.

The resolution passed the Club meeting today by a vote of 13 to 3. It was somewhat edited from the version I posted earlier, but the intent and the conclusion is the same. All of the main long-term members in the room supported the resolution.

The resolution has a much better chance of getting through the Council's screening process if it is passed by more than one club or Constituency Association. That is why I have been encouraging people on this list to try to get it passed in their own areas.

I have just received the list of all the riding association presidents in every region of BC, and I have sent them all an email with the resolution and encouraging them to discuss it with their members. I am hoping that at least a couple of these people will be interested and supportive enough to bring it forward, although really it is better if it is introduced at a grassroots level by members in that riding.

I am also now a delegate to the BC NDP convention, with 9 others from our riding. So I will be meeting NDP delegates from all over BC, and I will be promoting this resolution, and eNDProhibition, during all 3 days of the convention.

If you are in BC, please take the moment to actually join the NDP and officially become a member, and then contact me with your info so I can stay in touch with your to better coordinate our provincial efforts.

Wondeful news, I will do this, and perhaps with a donation in kind, and in confidence of this resolution. I will just have to wait for my student loan to show up any day now...

I am quite interested in getting involved with the NDP, though I am located in Victoria. Drop me a line if you like, or I will wait til I get my membership.