B.C. New Democrat's candidacy up in smoke

The federal New Democratic Party has accepted the resignation of the candidate running in West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast.

Dana Larsen submitted his resignation to the B.C. election campaign office Wednesday.

"He's obviously taken the decision that he's not a suitable candidate and we accepted that decision of our B.C. team and of the candidate himself," NDP Leader Jack Layton said.

Party spokesman Brad Lavigne said information came to light about "activities that were not in keeping with the policies and direction" of the party.

The NDP declined to elaborate on what those activities were, but allegations have arisen that Larsen is a member of the Vancouver Seed Bank. It sells seeds for coca plants along with seeds for marijuana and poppy plants.

Larsen, who co-founded the B.C. Marijuana Party in 2002, once hosted an internet program on Pot TV, a website run by party leader Marc Emery.

Larsen talked about and demonstrated his use of marijuana and other substances during his shows.

"I don't know what to tell you. I'm just getting nice and fried … I'm starting to hallucinate a little bit, too, so it's kind of fun but more about that later," Larson said in one segment that ran in December 2000.

A source said Larsen's support for the legalization of marijuana was known and was not an issue for the party.

Larsen was a candidate for the federal Marijuana Party in 2000. He's also a founding editor of Cannabis Culture Magazine and the author of the Pot Puzzle Fun Book and the novel Hairy Pothead and the Marijuana Stone.