BC Court orders $600,000 forfeiture for growing

A BC Man convicted of growing marijuana has been order to forfeit his $600,000 home because he grew marijuana on his property. The Man and his wife, both of whom use marijuana medicinally, were accused of growing in excess of medical need for profit, and that justified taking their home from them.

There is no accusation that this home was paid for with the proceeds of crime, simply that it was used to grow marijuana. The man was not convicted of any violence, simply growing a plant, underground, on his own property.

The BC Marijuana Party is outraged at this blatant theft of private property in support of a law only 8% of the population agree with. The BCMP strongly urges the accused in this case to appeal the decision, and challenge the constitutionality of this law based on proportionality, that this would constitute "cruel and unusual punishment".

The Federal and Provincial government are spending hundreds of millions a year handing control of the provinces 2nd largest industry, and $10 Billion dollars to organized criminals gangs.

The prohibition of marijuana is jeopardizing our society according to the Canadian Senate; why would our government spend more money, and take away this persons home, to advance the jeopardization of our society?

If we legalize, tax, and regulate marijuana, we take all the money organized crime makes with marijuana and spend it on health-care and education. We reduce crime on our streets and keep marijuana away from children by putting it in liquor stores which check ID (unlike drug dealers).

Legalization would deny Organized Crime their major source of funding, while civil forfeiture laws increase the risk, and price of marijuana, handing even great profits to organize crime.

After 100 years of prohibition, the supply, use and abuse or drugs has increase on our streets, we have spent countless billions and what do we have to show for it? We have locked up countless millions and what do we have to show for it?

We ended the gangsterism of alcohol in the 1920s by ending alcohol prohibition. We can do the same with marijuana, making streets safer and increasing funding for schools and hospitals.

Legalization and better health-care or prohibition and people dying in the streets, is this really a choice?