Pubdate: Thu, 03 Apr 2014
Source: Peace Arch News (CN BC)
Section: Page 2
Copyright: 2014 Peace Arch News
Contact:  http://www.peacearchnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1333
Author: Frank Bucholtz

POT LAWS NEED ADJUSTING

The challenge posed by marijuana grow-ops, legal or illegal, continues
to perplex officials at all levels of government.

At the same time, the proliferation of grow-ops presents a number of
serious public-safety issues.

Surrey has been among the leaders in pointing out these serious safety
concerns that sprout up when homes are used to grow marijuana. Fire
chief Len Garis has been very proactive on this issue, and the city
has shot down numerous grow-ops on a fire-safety basis.

Rewiring is often involved in these homes, and done without any proper
inspections. On occasion, hydro meters are bypassed.

The number of plants and the need to water them leads to the growth of
mould. And the fact that a home is being used for what is an
industrial-scale operation means that children and pets are
particularly at risk.

Surrey was poised to shut down medicinal-marijuana grow-ops, based on
a new federal law that took effect Tuesday.

That law states that the growing of medicinal marijuana is to be done
on a commercial scale, under federal licences, and not in homes - at
least in part to address the safety risks.

However, enforcement of that proposed new law has been halted by a
court injunction, issued by the federal court.

It was put in place because the law's legality is being challenged on
a constitutional basis.

Meanwhile, to get the new law off to a flaming start, a large farm
complex in Port Kells, which had been used for a medicinal-marijuana
grow-op, burned to the ground on Tuesday.

The landlord has suggested that it happened just as the operators of
the grow-op were vacating the premises, and undoubtedly police and
fire officials will be looking thoroughly into both the cause of some
of the claims.

There are 37,000 medicinal-marijuana licences across the country, and
a number of reports indicate that there are a disproportionate amount
of them in B.C.

A response to a recent Freedom of Information request indicated there
are more than 500 licences in neighbouring Langley, so it is almost
certain that there are many more in Surrey.

It's time to stop the posturing, and accept the fact that marijuana is
widely used, both as a recreational drug, which thus far is illegal,
and as a medicinal supplement, which is legal and will almost
certainly stay that way.

The federal government is unreasonable in its insistence that
marijuana use must continue to be illegal.

Its stance was justified while the U.S. was taking a firm stand on
drugs, because of the vast interconnection between the two countries,
but that isn't the situation any longer.

While the U.S. federal government continues to prosecute marijuana
cases, there, product is 100 per cent legal in Washington and Colorado
(except on federal property), and it seems that has reduced the number
of problems in relation to the drug.

Each state is also collecting revenue from sale of the drug, which is
sold under strict conditions, as is the case with alcohol.

In Colorado's case, it has already benefited from additional tourism
due to the legalization of marijuana.

The federal government might be wiser to take a serious look at
decriminalizing all marijuana use, and seeing if there is wisdom in
making it a legal product, with sales restricted to adults.

If it worked with provincial and local governments on this issue,
there could be a vast reduction in the number of grow-ops in homes,
which would be a boost for public safety.

It almost certainly would also lead to a reduction in crime, which
would be a break for police and the taxpayers who fund them. 
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D