Pubdate: Wed, 22 Jan 2014 Source: North Bay Nugget (CN ON) Copyright: 2014 North Bay Nugget Contact: http://www.nugget.ca/letters Website: http://www.nugget.ca/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2226 Author: John R. Hunt USE COBALT FOR GROW-OPS Are corporations producing medical marijuana nasty or nice? Are they respectable or questionable? Do honest citizens want them in their neighbourhood? North Bay city council will have to answer questions like these and many others when a medical marijuana corporation decides to locate here. The federal government has ruled that medical marijuana users can no longer grow their own. Medical marijuana growing is being handed over to a few favoured corporations. March 31 is when the existing Marijuana Medical Access Program reaches an end. As of April, medical marijuana will be legally accessible only through producers licensed under the Marijuana for Medical Purposes Regulations. It will be up to each municipality to decide where the grow-ops may go. It has outraged the homegrown pot growers who believe they each have their own special brand to treat their ailment. Sudbury city council is confident that a corporate pot grower will favour their city. It is calling a special public meeting to get taxpayers' input. It may be hoping that Rick Bartolucci will use his influence to get a corporate pot grower as an alternative to his long promised chromite refinery in Capreol. The new regulations mean licenced producers are required to notify their local government, local police force and local fire officials of their intention to apply to Health Canada, so that local authorities are aware of their proposed location and activities. Licensed producers are also required to communicate with local authorities whenever there is a change in the status of their licence. Licensed producers must comply with all federal, provincial/ territorial and municipal laws and bylaws, including municipal zoning bylaws. There are many diverse opinions and trying to please them all when it comes to pot will be a difficult task but there is a solution. Cobalt has many old silver mines. Most are full of water that could be easily pumped out and humidity is good for growing pot. Being underground would be a great advantage as it simplifies security. Cobalt could become the medical marijuana capital of Ontario. Why not? - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom