Pubdate: Fri, 04 Jul 2003
Source: Kelowna Capital News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2003, West Partners Publishing Ltd.
Contact:  http://www.kelownacapnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1294
Author: Desmond Murray, Capital News contributor

LOCAL MAN HAS SEEDY IDEA TO COMBAT GROW SHOWS

Like using fire to fight fire, a Kelowna area entrepreneur plans to use 
marijuana pollen to battle illegal pot growing operations in rental homes.

He plans to sell and spray into the heating systems of houses his canisters 
of No Grow, a combination of a secret ingredient with the pollen from a 
male marijuana plant. The pollen will render the valuable flower tops of 
the female plants almost worthless.

"The spores are committed to one thing, that is to find the female bud and 
attach itself to that," said proprietor Glen Dinning. "Within 48 hours it 
is turning to seed."

"We know it works," he said, although he is unable to give a full guarantee.

Dinning tested the product in Kelowna area homes to confirm the 
effectiveness and safety to use in a house occupied by a person with common 
allergies.

"It is 100 per cent natural and non toxic. It is less toxic than walking 
around this garden," he said as he provided a demonstration outside a 
Westside home.

The three grams of product in the canister is distributed through the house 
at a rate of about 10 parts per million, every time the furnace fan spins.

Along with the annual injection service, which will cost $35 per month, 
home owners will also receive a collection of window and door stickers that 
alert potential renters that the home is treated with this product that 
will ruin a marijuana crop.

"Once the (potential) grower sees that, they are not going (to move) in 
here," said Dinning. "They will know it is a no grow house."

"We are not trying to eradicate all grow operations," said Dinning, who is 
planning to focus on smaller one-room operations in a rented houses that 
turn a small profit for the renter but a big loss for the home owner.

"Just by growing in one bedroom, they can ruin a house, and there are 
thousands of them out there," he claimed. Dinning estimates there are 
140,000 illegal growing operations in B.C. and the number is expanding.

"It is a deterrent , that is the key," said city councilor Ron Cannan 
offering his support.

Cannan believes it will help reduce the dangers that firefighters face 
battling fires caused by illegal grow operations, and reduce the value of 
losses for home owners whose renters go into the illegal business.

"Any product that can deter grow operations from starting in our community 
I am in support of," Cannan said.

Dinning says he also has support from local fire chiefs, city officials, 
the mayor and the RCMP.

During his press conference Thursday, he even received support from the 
owner of a store that specializes in selling hydroponic growing 
equipment--which is often used in indoor marijuana growing operations.

"I have about 20 stores that would be interested in this," said Sandra 
Malko, noting this product would help their sales to growers of more 
legitimate crops like orchids and vegetables.

While this would help her store break away from its "bad rap", her main 
motivation comes from the personal hardship of renting to a family that 
started an illegal grow operation.

"I have a house that has been destroyed twice," she said. "It is horrifying 
for the owners."

Dinning said he has a couple million dollars worth of product ready to go, 
developed with the pollen purchased from legal medical marijuana grow 
operations in Canada.

He plans to start marketing in his home area of Kelowna first before 
expanding to the communities of Langley, Surrey and Vancouver.

"The huge markets we know are down on the coast, we will be going there 
shortly."
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MAP posted-by: Alex