Pubdate: Fri, 17 Jan 2014
Source: South Delta Leader (Delta, CN BC)
Copyright: 2014 South Delta Leader
Contact:  http://www.southdeltaleader.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1241

DELTA SHOULD CASH IN ON CASH CROP

Marijuana can be a polarizing subject. To some, it is a harmful drug,
produced and distributed by organized criminals, providing a gateway
to illegal activity and addiction.

To others, it is merely a misunderstood plant, a life-saving medicine
and harmless hallucinogen that has fallen victim to decades of
negative propaganda.

One thing both sides can agree on, however, is that marijuana is a
cash crop.

Pot advocate Dana Larsen, the man behind Sensible BC's campaign to get
marijuana legalized in this province, estimates the black market
marijuana industry is worth close to $4 billion to the B.C. economy.

All of that is untaxed, of course.

While the US states of Washington and Colorado have recently approved
the recreational use of marijuana, here in B.C. it still limited to
medical use.

Currently, there are 11,500 legal marijuana grow-ops across the
country licenced by Health Canada to produce the drug for medicinal
purposes. However, many of these facilities have been found to be in
possession of more plants than they were licenced to produce.

Last June, the federal government passed legislation requiring legal
marijuana grow-ops run by licenced users to apply for a municipal
business licence or shut down. The new law will also require medical
marijuana producers to notify local police and government about their
intent to grow.

The law, which goes into effect April 1, will mean local
municipalities can control where the grow-ops will be located, and
local police will know where they are.

Earlier this month, Delta Council took steps to prohibit the growing,
production, manufacturing, testing, storage and sales of medical
marijuana locally. The plan is to get businesses wishing to establish
medical marijuana grow-ops in Delta to apply for site specific zoning,
which has yet to be determined by council.

Currently, Delta has permitted one legal marijuana grow-op to operate
within an industrially-zoned area of Delta. Jackson has said Delta and
other municipalities are reluctant to permit marijuana grow-ops on
farmland or in residential areas because of the risk of violence and
criminal elements.

Of course, no one wants a marijuana grow-op opening up next door in a
residential neighbourhood. And open growing in fields would not be
secure. However, allowing for large-scale marijuana production, either
in greenhouses or indoor industrial facilities, would keep grow-ops
out of residential neighbourhoods and generate significant tax dollars
for the municipality.

Being located so close to a major metropolitan area, as well as the US
border, with a wealth of agricultural and industrial land at its
disposal, Delta is uniquely positioned to become a centre of
production for this cash crop. Delta Council should embrace the
industrial cultivation of medicinal marijuana, and reap the rewards it
will bring.  
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D