Richard Rolke - Vernon Morning Star Published: May 08, 2012 7:00 AM
Another North Okanagan community is demanding marijuana be decriminalized. Members of Lumby council voted Monday to ask senior government to regulate and tax cannabis products. "It will put cannabis in the same category as alcohol
and tobacco. Authorities would be able to control the product," said
Coun. Nick Hodge. Similar stances have already been taken by Vernon, Enderby, Armstrong and Lake Country. For Hodge, government control of marijuana would reduce the activities of criminal organizations. "It would cut off 70 per cent of their funding," he said of gangs. Stop the Violence B.C., which wants marijuana
regulated, made a presentation to council in April but a decision was
delayed until Monday so more information, including from the RCMP, could
be obtained. The federal government is responsible for drug laws and
it has indicated that it will not decriminalize marijuana. However,
Hodge believes Ottawa won't be able to ignore the pressure coming from
communities like Lumby. "It's a symbolic act but 40 years ago, a (federal) commission stated it should be regulated," he said.
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