Pubdate: Sat, 24 Nov 2012
Source: Kamloops Daily News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2012 Kamloops Daily News
Contact:  http://www.kamloopsnews.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/679
Author: Michele Young

INDUSTRIAL GROW-OPS? ADVOCATE WANTS CITY'S FIRST

Carl Anderson Already Eyeing Potential Properties

Kamloops medical marijuana advocate Carl Anderson is shopping for 
industrial property after he learned City council is looking at a 
bylaw change that would create zoning for pot plant production.

"I am searching for industrial property. I've already got the calls 
out. I want to be the first," he said Friday.

"I've never grown in my home; always in outbuildings. But I've always 
been in fear for my family. And I have had instances of people trying 
to break in."

On Tuesday, council will deal with staff recommendations to allocate 
the growing of medical marijuana to industrial areas of town. The 
vote will be on whether to put the bylaw change to a public hearing, 
which is part of the process to change the zoning rules.

Anderson said allowing larger medical marijuana growing in industrial 
areas is a better option than the current situation where medical 
marijuana users can either buy from Health Canada, grow their own or 
designate someone to grow for them.

The Health Canada marijuana isn't very popular because it's expensive 
and limited to one strain, he said, so most people ask someone to 
produce for them or grow it themselves.

"I have 200 people and a waiting list trying to get somebody to grow 
cannabis for them. So it's great news. I can't grow for all of them. 
You're only allowed to produce for four people, including yourself," he said.

"I would love to have a co-op. If enough people pool their time and 
resources and money, it's easier for everyone."

Anderson said renting industrial space would be too costly for one 
person using medical marijuana, especially if he or she was on disability.

"I just think it's absolutely excellent to see City council taking 
progressive action in a messed-up situation that the medical 
marijuana program is."

City development and engineering services director Marvin Kwiatkowski 
said the proposed bylaw changes were drafted in anticipation of the 
federal government revamping medical marijuana regulations.

"It's more or less trying to be proactive for when the legislation 
does change for the medical marijuana," he said.

Those changes are anticipated to be brought in during 2014. Some 
municipalities are reviewing their bylaws and zoning as a result, 
some are not, Kwiatkowski said.

"The problem is now, our bylaws don't really address the issue. And 
by law, since licences are given out for personal use, we cannot 
prohibit it. It's allowed," he said.

"We want to get something established ahead of time."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom