Pubdate: Sat, 07 Oct 2006
Source: Richmond Review, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2006 Richmond Public Library
Contact:  Unit 140 5671 No. 3 Road, Richmond, B.C.
Fax: (604) 606-8752
Website: http://www.richmondreview.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/704
Author: Martin van den Hemel

HIGH POWER HOMES DRAWING ATTENTION

Richmond Fire Chief Jim Hancock says councillors will have a report 
in their hands next month on an initiative aimed at helping weed out 
local marijuana grow-ops.

Hoping to mirror the successes in Surrey--where a joint initiative 
with B.C. Hydro sees that city's firefighters check on homes that use 
much more than the normal amount of electricity which is often a 
tell-tale sign of a grow-op--city staff are studying whether it's 
feasible to set up something similar here.

During home inspections in Surrey, some 150 children have been found 
living in homes converted into marijuana grow-ops. The electrical 
wiring in these homes is often tampered and chemicals and moulds make 
for less than ideal living conditions for children.
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