Pot petitioner stands by her views despite charges

KAMLOOPS — A Kamloops marijuana advocate sentenced to 45 days in jail on pot-related charges says she still stands by her views on the decriminalization of cannabis.

“What I did was wrong,” Vanessa Shellard said outside of court. She was found guilty on Thursday of selling marijuana to an undercover cop.

Shellard had been staying with a friend, who was a known pot dealer at the time of her offence. She told the court her friend was charging her a reduced rate for rent.

When undercover police showed up looking to buy, and her friend wasn’t home, Shellard felt bad and sold $30 worth of marijuana to the men. She said she didn’t want him to lose the business.

Shellard said what she did was stupid and vows to learn from her lesson. However, she still believes in the fight to change B.C.’s marijuana laws.

“There are lots of ways marijuana can be medically helpful,” she said.

The pot advocate was part of the failed Sensible B.C. petition drive to decriminalize marijuana.

To contact the reporter for this story, email jstahn@infotelnews.ca or call 250-819-3723.