City council looking for public input on pot debate
By Erin Perkins
The public is invited to make their last pitch on the pot issue during a regular city council meeting Monday, August 20.
Marjuana and the Stop the Violence BC campaign has been put on the agenda for the annual Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM) conference being held in Victoria, September 24 to 28.
Grand Forks mayor Brian Taylor is asking the public to provide council with guidance about the legalization and regulation of marijuana in BC. He will then take that report to the UBCM debate to be included in a province-wide discussion.
Stop the Violence BC is a non-profit organization with the backing of scientists and law enforcement officials calling for the end of marijuana prohibition and the regulation and taxation of the drug to help combat increasing gang activities in BC. Over the past six months the organization has asked BC mayors to sign a petition supporting the legalization and regulation of the drug. The letter was designe to get the discussion started, which it has effectively done. The debate has stirred some controversey among Kootenay Boundary city councils, including ours.
While Taylor and councillor Gary Smith are publicly in support of the end of prohibition, councillor Cher Wyers wasn’t convinced during the May 2012 discussion.
“The public is welcome to the open council meeting and I would encourage the community to come out and participate,” said Taylor. “I hope to take the direction (from the council meeting) with me to the UBCM.”
Although seating is limited in council chambers, Taylor and the council hope to have an open discussion with as many community members as possible. The evening will start at 7 p.m. at City Hall in Grand Forks. The first part of the discussion will be council only, followed by the public input.
For more information about Stop the Violence BC visit their website at www.stoptheviolencebc.org .
For past local coverage of this topic:
End prohibition of marijuana, say mayors
