Pubdate: Tue, 18 Jul 2006 Source: Chilliwack Progress (CN BC) Copyright: 2006 The Chilliwack Progress Contact: http://www.theprogress.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/562 Author: George Kosinski Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v06/n909/a04.html MAKE IT LEGAL AND TAKE AWAY THE SCOURGE OF THE GROW-OP It is indeed stunning to discover that Chilliwack is spending more than $1 million per year to fight marijuana grow-ops. While "it may be heartening to know there is an army of unpaid volunteers behind the ongoing battle," it's equally disheartening to know that there are still many people in responsible positions seemingly oblivious to the fact that the vast majority of grow-ops can be made to disappear =AD at no cost =AD by the simple act of making it legal for individuals to grow a few marijuana plants for personal use. It's also puzzling why Sharon Gaetz is a member of this Public Safety Advisory Committee (re: `Tough love for troublemakers,' Progress, July 9). Assuming the Southside Church, of which she is the pastor, is a Christian church, how can she support marijuana prohibition when Jesus turned water into wine in order to provide a recreational drug for a wedding party? And why do these city officials insist on harping on the unattainable "ideal of a drug-free community" in a society where legal drugs constitute a multi-billion dollar industry, especially when many users of pharmaceutical drugs would probably be better off using marijuana instead to ease their ailments? George Kosinski - --- MAP posted-by: Derek