Pubdate: Tue, 15 Apr 2014
Source: Calgary Sun, The (CN AB)
Copyright: 2014 The Calgary Sun
Contact: http://www.calgarysun.com/letter-to-editor
Website: http://www.calgarysun.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/67
Author: Dave Dormer
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)

COMMERCIAL MARIJUANA CAN BLOOM IN CALGARY

Commercial medical marijuana grow operations will be allowed in 
Calgary, as long as they meet Health Canada and city regulations.

City councillors voted in favour Monday of amending a bylaw to allow 
commercial medical grow-ops to exist in industrial areas, after new 
rules came into effect April 1 barring patients from growing at home.

Under new rules, patients will have doctor-prescribed marijuana 
couriered from a commercial facility.

"What it allows is there will be more control so I support the 
private sector getting into this and the feds getting out of it," 
said Coun. Diane Colley-Urquhart on the new rules.

In light of a number of lawsuits being filed against the federal 
government by patients seeking to continue growing on their own, 
council members also voted in favour of sending a letter to the 
federal health minister asking for a list of addresses of patient 
grows, something they've asked for in the past without success.

"These are in neighbourhoods all across the city, and cause 
significant health concerns for people," said Colley-Urquhart.

"So I think the health minister should, now that they're getting out 
of the business, disclose where these addresses are to the 
municipalities so that we know."

Colley-Urquhart said the federal government made "a real mess" by 
allowing patients to grow at home.

"What I meant by that was they never should have got in the business 
of licencing residential grows to begin with, to allow individual 
people to start growing, because the problem it's created is they 
would never tell us who they've licenced in the city so we weren't 
allowed to then, of course, inspect these premises to ensure they 
comply with our building regs and environmental concerns that we have."

Another problem, said Colley-Urquhart, is the proliferation of 
"illegal, satellite operations," sometimes involving organized crime.

"There could be thousands of these in Calgary, we have no idea," she said.

"It's a real problem and now they've decided they're getting out of 
it and the results of this all is on our lap to deal with."

The potential grows must meet strict conditions, including having 
proper security and ventilation, all operations must be enclosed 
within a single, standalone building, it must be at least 75 metres 
away from residences and not next to any major streets.

According to a report presented to council, there are 28,000 patients 
in the country authorized to use marijuana by Health Canada.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom