Pubdate: Wed, 24 Feb 2010
Source: 100 Mile House Free Press (CN BC)
Copyright: 2010 100 Mile House Free Press
Contact:  http://www.100milefreepress.net/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2143
Author: Joan Silver, 100 Mile House Free Press
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmjcn.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal - Canada)

NO BUSTS FOR THIS GROW-OP

Some local residents are turning to an old-fashioned remedy to treat 
medical problems, such as severe pain. That remedy is medical marijuana and 
it's grown in the area -- legally.

Jane and John Doe (not real names for security reasons) have a government 
licence to grow medical marijuana. Jane says they completed a 15-page 
application and had a criminal record check before the licence for 
production was issued. They have one client who also has a licence for 
possession, but Jane says the requirement to get that licence -- a 
physician willing to prescribe it -- is proving difficult.

It doesn't hurt the doctor in any way, she says. It's no different than 
prescribing Tylenol 3 with codeine, she adds, but there are fewer 
side-effects with medical marijuana.

"We're hoping doctors will try to get with the modern times and realize 
there are benefits [to medical marijuana] instead of throwing synthetic 
stuff to patients"

The Does are only allowed to sell their crop to the person with the licence 
and there are strict regulations to control the drug. They grow 15 plants 
and are allowed to have up to 670 grams in storage at any given time. They 
are only allowed to sell their client 90 grams a month.

Jane says they need to take weights and measurements of the wet and dry 
product and everything above those numbers that need to be destroyed. The 
initial costs to set up the grow-op were substantial. A certified 
contractor and certified electrician installed the proper equipment and 
infrastructure. Security is extensive and hydro costs are high.

The grow-op is surrounded with a fence and there is a guard dog and closed 
circuit cameras that will contact the Does if they're not home and somebody 
is snooping around the property. The amount they charge for the product is 
also regulated by the government and John says this project is not going to 
make them rich.

"We dished out a lot of money to get set up that we still have to recover."

Some people still frown on the idea of medical marijuana, but Jane says she 
believes in the health benefits and notes people usually smoke or ingest it 
before bed to help them relax.

Health Canada accepts applications to use the product from people with 
multiple sclerosis, spinal-cord injury or disease, cancer, AIDS, HIV 
infection, severe arthritis and epilepsy as well as people needing 
compassionate end-of-life care.
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D