Canada

Globe and Mail, 29 Nov 2013 - There is just one week to go in SensibleBC's crusade to decriminalize pot possession in British Columbia and the group has significantly ramped up campaign efforts, nearly tripling its volunteers and shifting strategies in the final push. But success is likely out of reach.

The Daily Courier, 29 Nov 2013 - The pro-pot crusade hasn't yet gone up in smoke, but it seems to be getting there. Efforts to gather enough signatures province wide to force a referendum on the legalization of marijuana may not succeed, advocates of the cause heard Thursday in Kelowna.

Kelowna Capital News, 29 Nov 2013 - Pot proponent Dana Larsen says he hopes Premier Christy Clark, as someone who has all but admitted smoking marijuana in the past, will heed the wishes of her constituents who have signed his group's petition calling for a change to marijuana laws in B.C. Larsen was handed the petition from Clark's Westside-Kelowna riding Thursday afternoon at a news conference downtown. More than 4,600 signatures on it, more than the 10 per cent of registered voters signatures required as part of a provincial campaign to force a referendum on the issue of police enforcement of BC pot possession laws.

Trail Daily Times, 29 Nov 2013 - Please don't accuse Sensible BC canvassers of starting this disturbing, unfortunate "at odds" incident. The statement that canvassers were on the Ferraro Foods property is absolutely false. No canvasser was ever collecting signatures in front of the opening to the store. Sensible BC canvassers all know that to set up on private property requires permission.

Chronicle Herald, 29 Nov 2013 - FREDERICTON (CP) -- The case of a New Brunswick Mountie who's reportedly been told he cannot smoke the drug while in uniform underscores the need for employers to better understand medicinal marijuana, an advocate for medical cannabis said Thursday. Adam Greenblatt, president of the Canadian Association of Medical Cannabis Dispensaries, said the RCMP should ultimately allow Cpl. Ron Francis to smoke in uniform providing he is not impaired while working.

Trail Daily Times, 26 Nov 2013 - Ferraro Foods is offering an apology to customers and canvassers who may have felt uncomfortable following an incident in front of its store on Saturday. Petitioners for the Sensible BC campaign were near the store collecting signatures for its petition for the Sensible Policing Act to decriminalize marijuana possession.

Langley Advance, 26 Nov 2013 - Local pot advocate Randy Caine is helping promote a Sensible BC petition that would put in motion a vote for the decriminalization of marijuana in 2014. William Austin wore a penguin suit Saturday while standing on the sidewalk along Willowbrook Drive.

Medicine Hat News, 23 Nov 2013 - A licenced Medicine Hat medical marijuana user says he feels like a target has been painted on him after Health Canada sent out letters this week identifying him as a program subscriber. Earlier this week, the department mailed 40,000 letters to medical marijuana users across the country, alerting them to major changes coming in the program beginning April 1.

South Delta Leader, 22 Nov 2013 - As a Canadian citizen, mother, and recovering addict, I am disturbed about the debate of the legalization of marijuana. My concern is if Dana Larsen gets the 400,000 signatures for his Sensible BC Campaign, it's just one step towards the legalization of marijuana.

Chilliwack Progress, 21 Nov 2013 - Sensible BC far short of target with less than three weeks left Dana Larsen isn't conceding defeat yet, but the head of the Sensible BC campaign to reform marijuana policing is already talking about another petition drive if the one now underway fails.

Surrey Leader, 21 Nov 2013 - Short of Signatures As Deadline Looms Dana Larsen isn't conceding defeat yet, but the head of the Sensible BC campaign to reform marijuana policing is already talking about another petition drive if the one now underway fails.

The Chatham Daily News, 21 Nov 2013 - 40,000 MEDICAL POT USERS OUTED Medical marijuana users across Canada received this envelope from Health Canada, identifying it was sent by the medical marijuana program. Health Canada has confirmed 40,000 other letters were sent this week in error.

The Northern View, 20 Nov 2013 - Success Is Within Reach, but There's Still a Lot of Work to Be Done. Those are the thoughts of Dana Larsen of Sensible BC on the ongoing campaign aiming to decriminalize simple marijuana possession.

The Intelligencer, 19 Nov 2013 - DEAR EDITOR: Libby Davies of the NDP, former Solicitor General Wayne Easter of the Liberals and Elizabeth May, leader of the Green Party of Canada, stood beside Jodie Emery during a press conference on Parliament Hill last week.

Nanaimo News Bulletin, 19 Nov 2013 - With a December deadline looming, the Sensible B.C. campaign is only about half way to reaching the target for its marijuana decriminalization petition. Signatures from 10 per cent of registered voters in B.C.'s 85 electoral districts are sought - approximately 400,000 signatures - and according to organizers, the number is currently sitting somewhere between the 100,000 and 200,000 mark.

The North Shore News, 15 Nov 2013 - Local volunteers collecting signatures in a campaign to change the way marijuana laws are enforced say they aren't giving up, although they still need several thousand names to meet their target. "We do have momentum," said Michael Charrois, a former federal NDP candidate who is coordinating the campaign for Sensible B.C. in three of the North Shore ridings. "It's not too late."

Penticton Western, 15 Nov 2013 - People heading in for an afternoon workout at the Penticton Community Centre last week also had a chance to lend strength to the campaign to decriminalize marijuana in B.C. Jo Ann Murphy, a registered canvasser for Sensible BC, was collecting signatures there on copies of the official petition to which she has devoted nearly all of spare time for two months straight.

Maple Ridge Times, 14 Nov 2013 - I thought I'd missed the Sensible BC rally Saturday last in the Memorial Peace Park, but when I showed up, there was still a small coterie of cannabis co-conspirators around the makeshift kiosk where one could add his or her name to the growing list favouring the legalization of the evil weed, marijuana. The local campaign, under the direction of Craig Speirs, is trying to collect 10 per cent of the registered voters in the two ridings that intersect in Maple Ridge.

The Voice, 14 Nov 2013 - Langara science student set up last week at 49th and Cambie collecting signatures for the B.C. marijuana referendum Sensible BC is under pressure with only three weeks left to double the number of signatures they've gathered to get a marijuana referendum. With the Dec. 5 deadline of the 90-day campaign looming closer, only about 150,000 of the necessary 400,000 signatures have been collected so far.

Merritt Herald, 14 Nov 2013 - Local canvassers for the Sensible BC campaign to decriminalize possession of marijuana have been pounding the pavement as the deadline to collect signatures looms. As of Nov. 8, the local Sensible BC campaign had collected about 900 signatures from people in Merritt. There are 35 registered canvassers looking for people to sign the petition in the area.