Dana Larsen is touring the Sunshine Coast and Vancouver Island to promote the Sensible BC decriminalization campaign.

Larsen, former candidate for the leadership of the B.C. NDP, is on tour to promote the Sensible Policing Act, which would effectively decriminalize cannabis possession in the province.

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Larsen will be speaking at the Roberts Creek Hall on Friday, Jan. 25, from 7 to 9 p.m.

"The Sensible Policing Act directs all police in B.C. to stop spendingany time or resources on searching, seizing or arresting anyone forsimple cannabis possession," Larsen said. "The lawyers atElections BC have confirmed that this legislation is within provincialjurisdiction and suitable for a referendum."

Larsen is leading the Sensible BC campaign to have a referendum on theSensible Policing Act, putting volunteers in place to collect theofficial signatures needed from September to November of 2013. He'sbeen on tour to over three dozen cities and towns sinceOctober.

"There's no reason we cannot decriminalize possession in ourprovince," he said. "In 2003, B.C. joined seven other provincesin refusing to enforce the Long Gun Registry. At that time, attorneysgeneral said they didn't want to bother with otherwise law-abidingcitizens who were in possession of an unregistered long gun. We'reasking for the same sensible perspective when it comes to people inpossession of cannabis."

The recent votes to legalize cannabis in the U.S. states of Washingtonand Colorado has given the Sensible BC campaign a solid boost, he said.

"Across Washington, thousands of charges for simple possession are being dropped, saving taxpayers millions of dollars and unclogging the justice system. Yet here in B.C. we're seeing possession charges skyrocket," Larsen said. "If trends continue, 2013 will be another record-breaking year, with over 4,000 pot possession charges being laid across B.C. It's time for a more sensible approach."

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