Pubdate: Fri, 16 May 2014
Source: Metro (Vancouver, CN BC)
Copyright: 2014 Metro Canada
Contact:  http://www.metronews.ca/vancouver
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3775
Author: Emily Jackson

EX-CHIEF WEEDING OUT CRIME

Medical marijuana. Long-time legalization advocate now consults to
keep industry clean

The man responsible for shutting down hundreds of marijuana grow-ops
and arresting record numbers of people in Vancouver's drug trade is
now a security consultant for the burgeoning medical marijuana
production industry.

Kash Heed - the former West Vancouver police chief, commanding officer
of the Vancouver police drug squad and B.C. MLA and solicitor general
- - is working with a few Ontario and Lower Mainland companies as they
vie to become licensed medical marijuana producers under the new
federal regime, which kicked in April 1.

He's advising the legal grow-ops on how to keep organized crime out.
"My job is to make sure the people that come forward to these
companies with a considerable amount of money, that the money's
clean," Heed said in an interview. "It's all around having an
organization that cannot be infiltrated by organized crime, it's all
the aspects of ensuring the integrity of the organization."

Heed, who has advocated ending marijuana prohibition since 2001,
supports the new federal rules as a step to legalization.

"This is just one step to controlling the industry, removing organized
crime from the industry and getting ready for a legal framework for
recreational adult use," he said.

He "strongly believes" such a system will be in place in Canada within
five years, regardless of who's in power in Ottawa, due to
legalization in places such as Colorado, Washington and Uruguay.

"The taxation dollars that are going to be generated from this
industry, governments cannot turn a blind eye to it."

Heed's views on legalization stem from his decades as a police
officer.

"We had all these record breaking arrests and were taking millions and
millions of dollars of supply off the streets - and we weren't making
any difference at all," he said.

"What we started to see was more violence, consumption was up and
supply was the same."

Heed's goal is to advocate for the industry and ensure its integrity
is strong so municipalities, citizens and investors can be confident
the legal market is responsible.
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MAP posted-by: Matt