Pubdate: Thu, 09 Jan 2014
Source: Aldergrove Star (CN BC)
Copyright: 2014 Central Fraser Valley Star Publishing Ltd.
Contact:  http://www.aldergrovestar.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/989
Author: Jeff Nagel

CITIES AIM TO DIG OUT MEDICAL MARIJUANA 'HOME GROWERS'

Some B.C. cities are vowing to do what they can to uproot licensed 
medical marijuana grow operations in homes that will become illegal 
this spring as federally approved large-scale commercial growers take over.

As of April 1, an estimated 11,500 B.C. medical marijuana grow 
operations that have been run by or on behalf of federally licensed 
users are supposed to shut down voluntarily but civic leaders say 
Health Canada is doing almost nothing to force them to comply.

"It's an absolute gong show," Abbotsford Mayor Bruce Banman said. 
"They're keeping cities completely in the dark as to what they plan 
to do to fix this mess."

Abbotsford, Port Coquitlam, Surrey and some other cities that have 
identified some medical marijuana grows - through safety inspections 
or police raids that were called off when they turned out to be 
licensed - plan to take steps to ensure they shut down.

Banman said Abbotsford is aware of approximately 100 currently legal 
grows and Abbotsford Police will likely follow up with them in the 
spring, but added there are at least 700 more at unknown locations 
that Health Canada won't disclose.

Surrey has for years used fire safety inspection teams to root out 
illegal pot grow ops, usually targeted based on excessive power 
consumption or neighbourhood complaints.

Deputy fire chief Dan Barnscher said Surrey's teams have uncovered 
nearly 300 licensed medical grows, most of them in the past two years.

As in Abbotsford, that's just the tip of the iceberg - Surrey has 
learned through Access to Information requests that the city is home 
to nearly 900 medical pot grows that are soon to become illegal.

"There's an expectation they will be doing a complete cleanup and 
remediation of their property," Barnscher said. "We're going to give 
them a timeline to do that. We're not going to show up on April 1 or 2nd."

He said remediation work must be verified by a city-approved 
industrial hygenist and restoration professional to ensure they don't 
leave behind an electrical fire trap or dangerous mould for future residents.

Barnscher concedes there's nothing to stop those licensed growers 
from moving to elude authorities, but added they will no longer have 
Health Canada protection if the grow-op is found again in Surrey at a 
new location.

Maple Ridge Mayor Ernie Daykin said his staff will soon pull together 
an action plan to respond to the estimated 600 to 700 medical pot 
grows in his city.

"I don't know how realistic it is to expect those people to 
voluntarily shut down and start ordering it legally from Pete's 
Pothouse," Daykin said.

Cities are also wary of recently launched legal action.

Medical marijuana users hope a constitutional challenge launched by 
Abbotsford lawyer John Conroy will strike down part of the new 
federal regulations on medical marijuana or at least force an 
extension of the April 1 deadline while the case is before the courts.

Conroy's application to exempt or grandfather in existing holders of 
personal production or designated grower licences is expected to be 
heard in early February.

Users fear it will cost them much more to buy from authorized 
commercial sellers than it has to grow their own.

Saskatoon-based CanniMed, one of the first producers to be licensed 
and begin shipments, is selling its medical pot for $7.50 to $12 per gram.

Lower Mainland cities have taken varied approaches on where they will 
allow new approved growers to set up highly regulated, secure medical 
pot growing operations.

Maple Ridge is allowing them only in agricultural areas, while Delta, 
Langley Abbotsford and Kelowna are opposing medical pot as an allowed 
use on farmland.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom