Hash
New Member
BC - Stoned supporters of the Marijuana movement have walked away from the political party in a meandering search for munchables.
With half its candidates from the 2001 election bored with a legalization crusade that's gone nowhere, the Marijuana Party was armed with slim slate of 44 hopefuls, down from 79.
Prohibition is still blinking like an army of new smoke detectors in parental basements and campaign manager Kirk Tousaw said the pot party is wilting under the heat.
"Here in B.C., the persecution is really ramped up. Possession arrests are down in Canada but they're up in B.C., significantly," said Tousaw, standing in the Museum of Psychoactive Substances where the pot party held its election night party.
Men with long hair sat around a gigantic bowl of weed, while supporters peered at glass cases filled with hundred-year-old water pipes from Africa.
Bopping to an old Bob Marley CD, they were united in what still seems like a pipe dream to many: the legalization of pot.
Many B.C. municipalities are on the attack, passing bylaws to allow a new crackdown on pot farms.
Abbotsford, B.C. passed a bylaw authorizing firemen and other city officials to search suspect homes and shut down the water supply if they find a pot farm - instead of laying criminal charges.
They'll be armed with thermal imaging cameras to check for homes that are warmer than others, indicating a possible grow op inside.
If the officials do suspect a grow op, they can demand entry to search the home. And if they find pot, the new bylaw allows the city to shut down the water supply and charge repairs to the owner.
Tousaw said the Abbotsford marijuana candidate had 40 of his signs removed by the city which has left those of other political parties in place.
"Abbotsford is a hotbed of prohibitionist thinking and they seem to be targeting us because they do not agree with our message," said party leader Marc Emery.
"The right to express political opinions is of paramount importance to anyone that values freedom - we are greatly disappointed that our candidates ability to participate in the electoral process has been hindered."
In Surrey, B.C., a 41-year-old mother of three running under the Marijuana Party banner was barred from an all-candidates debate at a school after being invited by a student.
The party is suing both municipalities, saying they are targeting the candidates' political speech.
Emery said former candidates have are having an easier time getting their message under the flag of other parties, like the Greens.
"We've had a lot of people molve on to other parties, which is great. We want to be the farm club for people to go from to other parties with a longer arm of support and start influencing people getting elected in those organizations," said Emery, before diving into the snacks at the smoky Marijuana Party headquarters where people gathered on Tuesday to watch the election results come in.
Four former Marijuana Party candidates ran for the Greens in this election, a party that also supports legalization. Both want to see pot regulated and taxed. As long as it's illegal, pot will fuel organized crime, Emery said.
Still, he said, the Marijuana Party has lost momentum by running fewer candidates.
Tousaw said many supporters have become discouraged by inaction on legalization at the federal level.
"We've had a lot of disappointments," said Tousaw.
"We had a senate report come out that was absolutely wonderful. Eighteen months of study, a recommendation to end prohibition, just like every other study that Canada's done. But this was so well done, so comprehensive we really thought it would at least do something impact the dialogue in Ottawa and it appears not to have."
Emery decided it was time to focus, on pot. He dropped all issues from his platform, leaving it with one leg: public education on the harms of marijuana prohibition.
The Marijuana Party wants pot legalized and taxed and for people to learn how great it is.
Tousaw said that was too specific for the Libertarians in the party.
"That cost us a lot of people. Some of our former candidates are actually running for the Libertarian party this year."
That's after a jump in support four years ago, noted University of Victoria political scientist Norman Ruff. He credits the Marijuana Party for helping attract young people to the political process.
In the 2001 B.C. election, it won 3.22 per cent of the popular vote, while 17 other fringe parties combined to garner 1.98 per cent.
"If it at least captures their attention, it's got a valuable role to play," Ruff said.
Source: Yahoo! News
Copyright: 2005 Canadian Press
Website: Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines
With half its candidates from the 2001 election bored with a legalization crusade that's gone nowhere, the Marijuana Party was armed with slim slate of 44 hopefuls, down from 79.
Prohibition is still blinking like an army of new smoke detectors in parental basements and campaign manager Kirk Tousaw said the pot party is wilting under the heat.
"Here in B.C., the persecution is really ramped up. Possession arrests are down in Canada but they're up in B.C., significantly," said Tousaw, standing in the Museum of Psychoactive Substances where the pot party held its election night party.
Men with long hair sat around a gigantic bowl of weed, while supporters peered at glass cases filled with hundred-year-old water pipes from Africa.
Bopping to an old Bob Marley CD, they were united in what still seems like a pipe dream to many: the legalization of pot.
Many B.C. municipalities are on the attack, passing bylaws to allow a new crackdown on pot farms.
Abbotsford, B.C. passed a bylaw authorizing firemen and other city officials to search suspect homes and shut down the water supply if they find a pot farm - instead of laying criminal charges.
They'll be armed with thermal imaging cameras to check for homes that are warmer than others, indicating a possible grow op inside.
If the officials do suspect a grow op, they can demand entry to search the home. And if they find pot, the new bylaw allows the city to shut down the water supply and charge repairs to the owner.
Tousaw said the Abbotsford marijuana candidate had 40 of his signs removed by the city which has left those of other political parties in place.
"Abbotsford is a hotbed of prohibitionist thinking and they seem to be targeting us because they do not agree with our message," said party leader Marc Emery.
"The right to express political opinions is of paramount importance to anyone that values freedom - we are greatly disappointed that our candidates ability to participate in the electoral process has been hindered."
In Surrey, B.C., a 41-year-old mother of three running under the Marijuana Party banner was barred from an all-candidates debate at a school after being invited by a student.
The party is suing both municipalities, saying they are targeting the candidates' political speech.
Emery said former candidates have are having an easier time getting their message under the flag of other parties, like the Greens.
"We've had a lot of people molve on to other parties, which is great. We want to be the farm club for people to go from to other parties with a longer arm of support and start influencing people getting elected in those organizations," said Emery, before diving into the snacks at the smoky Marijuana Party headquarters where people gathered on Tuesday to watch the election results come in.
Four former Marijuana Party candidates ran for the Greens in this election, a party that also supports legalization. Both want to see pot regulated and taxed. As long as it's illegal, pot will fuel organized crime, Emery said.
Still, he said, the Marijuana Party has lost momentum by running fewer candidates.
Tousaw said many supporters have become discouraged by inaction on legalization at the federal level.
"We've had a lot of disappointments," said Tousaw.
"We had a senate report come out that was absolutely wonderful. Eighteen months of study, a recommendation to end prohibition, just like every other study that Canada's done. But this was so well done, so comprehensive we really thought it would at least do something impact the dialogue in Ottawa and it appears not to have."
Emery decided it was time to focus, on pot. He dropped all issues from his platform, leaving it with one leg: public education on the harms of marijuana prohibition.
The Marijuana Party wants pot legalized and taxed and for people to learn how great it is.
Tousaw said that was too specific for the Libertarians in the party.
"That cost us a lot of people. Some of our former candidates are actually running for the Libertarian party this year."
That's after a jump in support four years ago, noted University of Victoria political scientist Norman Ruff. He credits the Marijuana Party for helping attract young people to the political process.
In the 2001 B.C. election, it won 3.22 per cent of the popular vote, while 17 other fringe parties combined to garner 1.98 per cent.
"If it at least captures their attention, it's got a valuable role to play," Ruff said.
Source: Yahoo! News
Copyright: 2005 Canadian Press
Website: Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines
