ELECTION KILLS MARIJUANA BILL

[Alfa]

ELECTION KILLS MARIJUANA BILL


Pot Activist Glad Legislation Is Gone


A bill to decriminalize marijuana has died with the fall of the Liberal government -- and pot activists are pleased to see it go.


"We're happy it died," said B.C. Marijuana Party (BCMP) president Marc Emery.


He said that while Bill C- 17 cut down on penalties for possession of small amounts of marijuana, it substantially increased penalties for cultivation.


While working for the B.C. Civil Liberties Association, Vancouver lawyer Kirk Tousaw testified to a House of Commons special committee against the bill, arguing that it would actually do more to criminalize marijuana by targeting growers.


"This Liberal government has now promised to reform our marijuana laws for the last four years, but they have not done it," Tousaw said.


Michelle Rainy, vice-president of the BCMP, also said the bill was flawed. Bill C-17 was read in Parliament twice. In order to pass, a bill must be read three times.


Other now defunct bills include Bill C-60, which would have made sweeping changes to the copyright act, including prohibiting the downloading and copying of music.


Bill C-50, which would have imposed stiffer penalties for animal cruelties, also died.

[emineo]

All this bill seems to be, is a very subtle step toward making the
marijuana market a regulated BIG BUSINESS cash crop.

Buh bye

[Sickman]

Originally Posted by emineo

All this bill seems to be, is a very subtle step toward making the
marijuana market a regulated BIG BUSINESS cash crop.

And what would be the problem with that?

Nicotine is a big business. Alcohol is an enormous business. So are the markets for all other legal drugs. If marijuana became completely decriminalized, what would make you think that business interests wouldn't take over it like any other drug?

I imagine you'd see something like you see in the beer markets today: some mass producers who put out a crappy product (Budweiser, Miller, Coors) that sells because of advertising, and some smaller companies that put out quality product, like Sierra Nevada or New Belgium Brewing Co.

[OneOfMany]

1 step forward, for 2 steps back. When will they learn? I'm still surprised how hard the US Federal government is fighting states that have legalized medical marijuana. Threatening to take away any doctor's ability to prescribe any medication (which the Feds do legally control) if the doctor prescribes any pot.

I also find it funny how labels like "liberal" get applied by the media. Like do you know what "conservatives" are according to political science? They oppose change...strive to keep things the way they are, aka conserve their way of life. Not to force everyone to become a christian and increase penalties for anything they find offensive.