VPD in hazy erritory n Vancouver, where you can [= for five minutes and see three different dispensaries, it can be easy to forget that canna- bis is still egal to sell. But until someone complains, no one seems to care, not even the police. A new dispensary called Air Collection Reserve recently opened on SW Ma- rine Drive. But its neighbours (which include a temple and a daycare) have al- ready begun tak- ing their com- plaints to police, and it may not be long until AGAZY the dispensary is MENGE- closed down for SHA good. With canna- bis legalization on the horizon, law enforcement has recently been more tolerant to- wards dispensaries. But, as has been reported by local media, Vancouver police have long maintained that making arrests for cannabis posses- sion and distribution is not a prior- ity. Nevertheless, this attitude can still change very quickly when communities begin regularly and loudly registering complaints. Just over a month ago, the illegal, open-air marijuana market located at Robson Square was shut down by “Marijuana exists in a strange, quasi- legal state where no one is quite sure what's okay to do.” the Vancouver Police Department, resulting in two arrests. Complaints had reportedly been filed by the food cart vendors operating in the area, who were concerned that the cannabis market was operating without a license, and possibly sell- ing cannabis products to minors. The dispensaries, however, are not to blame for taking advantage of an opportunity to make money. If any- one has to claim responsibility, it’s the VPD. ‘Thanks to the VPD’s apathy to- ward policing dispensaries, mari- juana exists in a strange, quasi-legal state where no one is quite sure what’s okay to do, and what might get them arrested and charged. Consumers might complain, but recreational marijuana needs to be entirely legal, or entirely illegal and fully enforced - no grey areas. A solid legal framework helps every- one involved. e eo s a) e a iG a] im wy Textbooks can cost up to $300 each, a steep price for students. ci0£ LOGAN AND ANA ROSE WALKEY ILLUSTRATION Open Ed texts a win for B.C. students pen educational re- sources (OERs) are a fantastic way for penny-pinching — stu- dents to maximize their scarce funds without sacrificing the quality of their education, es- pecially in Van- couver where prices are al- ready sky high. Today's text- books are ridic- ulously pricey, with some cost- ing up to $300 a op. While studying creative writing at Capilano University, I would spend an average of $600 on text- books each semester. That’s 80 ANA ROSE WALKEY per cent of what one month’s rent cost me at the time. Students are often forced to work one or more jobs while in school to be able to live and study here. With the cost of living constantly rising in Van- couver, spending so much valuable rent money on textbooks is not sustainable. OERs can be built by multiple authors, and can be legally copied and shared for teaching, learning and research. In lieu of purchas- ing traditional print textbooks, students can access open textbooks for free. ‘The idea of free, open textbooks is a brilliant one. Not only do stu- dents no longer have to lug around 80 pounds of paper each day, but the weight of being broke is greatly reduced. Seth Bergmann, a computer sci- ence professor at Rowan Univer- sity, pointed out in a study that, if using open source software, the production of educational resourc- es can also be free. With use of open source pub- lishing materials, contributors have no need to spend a penny to share their material. Despite not being paid for their work, Bergmann wrote that many university faculty contributors are compensated with promotion or a salary increase as a result of text- book publication. If education is intended to im- prove the lives of students, access to free learning materials clearly has the advantage over traditional paper textbooks. If faculty is able to leverage publication of these materials into a promotion as well, everyone wins. Fashion is not culturally owned ancouvers first annual \ / South Asian Fashion Week (SAFW) showcased fash- ion design that sits at the intersec- tion of East and West. The brand new event also happened to emerge at a time when cultural appropria- tion was, once again, in the news. Gucci was widely criticized a week earlier by both media and critics for dressing white models in Sikh turbans in a fashion show. While there is debate over what, exactly, constitutes cultural appro- priation, it's impossible to deny pop culture has long made a habit of using the icons and symbols of minority or marginalized cultures to sell products. There’s a time in every person-of-co- lour’s young life where she gets picked on be- cause of who she is. When people of colour are stereotyped, we become em- barrassed of displaying our heritage. This is why, as a young South Asian immi- grant in Surrey, one of the problems I faced was a disconnect from my family’s culture. As I grew older, I saw Western culture begin to incorporate South Asian fashion, both on the red car- pet and in casual attire. I was ex- cited because it felt like my culture was finally being welcomed and ac- cepted. But why, I began to wonder, was it only safe and acceptable for me to embrace my culture once young white men and women accepted it? Pooja Patel, a South Asian social media influencer, has been quoted as saying it’s white taste and white privilege that hold the power to make decisions on what is accepted and trendy. South Asian Fashion Week is a prime example of NIKITHA MARTINS what fashion could look like in a fu- ture where diverse cul- tural expres- sion is not subjected to the pressures of validation from clue- less majority tastemakers. Fashion is an art that is too beau- tiful not to be shared with everyone. And while I do not agree with the idea of keeping fashion within spe- cific cultural boundaries, I do think white, Western society needs to do a better job of interacting with cul- tures that have suffered oppression, often at the hands of Western cul- ture itself. The Voice is pub- lished by Langara College’s joumalism department. Editorial opinions are those of the staff and are independent of views of the student government and administration. We welcome letters to the editor. They may be edited for brevity. Your letter must in- clude your name and phone number. HOW TO DROP-IN REACH US Room A226 Langara College PHONE 604-323-5396 SNAIL MAIL The Voice E-MAIL 100 West 49th Ave. thevoice@langara. Vancouver, B.C. be.ca V5Y 226 WEBSITE MANAGING EDITOR langaravoice.ca Perrin Grauer PAGE EDITORS PAGE7 PAGE 1 Lisa Tanh Natalia Buendia PAGE 8 Calvillo Myra Dionne PAGE 2 Perrin Grauer MANAGING PAGE 3 WEBSITE Nick Valka EDITOR PAGE 4&5 Danica Walker Lindsey Lloyd PAGE 6 WEB EDITORS Ana Rose Walkey Becca Clarkson Jennifer Wilson FACULTY MANAGING REPORTERS EDITOR Agazy Mengesha Erica Bulman Amanda Poole ebulman@langara. Cameron Thomson ca Cloe Logan Desirée Garcia Gabrielle Plonka Lisa Steacy Nikitha Martins William Crosby CONTACT US Online at langaravoice.ca Twitter @LangaraVoice