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‘Marijuana millionaire’ to match donations made to decriminalize pot in B.C.

By admin | February 9, 2013

‘Marijuana millionaire’ to match donations made to decriminalize pot in B.C.

The Province

Holding it high, Bob Erb displays a cheque for $25 million. The campaign to decriminalize
marijuana in B.C. is getting a little help from the “marijuana millionaire,” as recent lotto
winner and marijuana activist Erb has promised to match all donations made to the
Sensible BC campaign to decriminalize pot in the province.

The campaign to decriminalize marijuana in B.C. is getting a little help from the “marijuana millionaire.”

Recent lotto winner and marijuana activist Bob Erb has promised to match all donations made to the Sensible BC campaign to decriminalize pot in the province.

Erb, a former B.C. Marijuana Party candidate, won $25 million in the November 2 Lotto Max draw. He’s already donated $120,000 to the Sensible BC campaign and now plans to match donations as the campaign prepares for a fall petition drive to force a referendum on decriminalization.

Sensible BC director Dana Larsen said Erb’s donations will help the group to organize volunteers and resources to collect signatures.

The 90-day effort begins in September and runs until November. Larsen must get 10 per cent of registered voters in each electoral district in B.C. to sign in support, forcing a referendum on the decriminalization of marijuana in B.C. in September 2014.

“This is an issues that’s time has come,” said Larsen. “The polls show that the majority of British Columbians support this, but we’ll have our work cut out for us.”

Larsen said decriminalization means provincially mandating that police will no longer dedicate resources to cannabis possession charges. Sensible BC is also calling on the federal government to legalize marijuana.

Last weekend, Erb brought cannabis activists from across Canada to his hometown Terrace for an informal conference and planning session.

“I wrote cheques for most of the groups who came,” he said in a statement. “But most of my funding is going into changing the law here in British Columbia with the Sensible BC campaign.”

Larsen said he was on a fundraising tour for Sensible BC when he heard about Erb’s lottery win.

“It was amazing timing,” he said. “It’s hard not to think that there may have been some sort of higher power at work.”

gluymes@theprovince.com

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