Pubdate: Mon, 17 Apr 2000 Source: Province, The (CN BC) Copyright: 2000 The Province Contact: 200 Granville Street, Ste. #1, Vancouver, BC V6C 3N3 Canada Fax: (604) 605-2323 Website: http://www.vancouverprovince.com/ Authors: Matthew Elrod and Alan Randell Note: 2 PUB LTEs "BUSTING GROW OPS A DOPEY THING FOR COPS TO DO" How could Randy Elliot of the Organized Crime Agency claim that their latest offensive in the perpetual war on cannabis will cause "a significant disruption in the supply," while simultaneously guesstimating that there are over 10,000 grow operations in B.C.? In Friday's grow-ops article in The province, Elliot tells us that we should "stay tuned for more." Stay tuned for more home invasions, drive-by shootings, theft of electricity, damaged buildings and organized crime? These problems are the inevitable consequences of cannabis prohibition. Matthew Elrod, Victoria ~~~ Let's see, there are an estimated 10,000 marijuana grow ops in B.C. and after a weeklong crackdown, the cops closed 80 down. I guess that means that 2 1/2 years from now there will be no marijuana grow ops in B.C. A lot more unsolved murders and assaults, of course, but no more grow ops. Oh, I forgot. Perhaps new ones will start up to fill the market gap. Good strategy? I think not. Alan Randell, Victoria - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D