POT IN A BOX: HAS INSTANT MARIJUANA ARRIVED?

Nick Brusatore has developed an appliance that makes growing marijuana
quick, clean, safe and - get this - undetectable to police.

"Police can't detect it at all," he said. "The only way people find out you
have it is if you've got a big mouth."

The appliance, Power Grow System, is a six-foot tall aluminum box on
wheels. It resembles a wide refrigerator and plugs into a 110-volt
household socket. And, he claims, it's CSA approved.

The hydroponic system grows plants itself. Plug it in, add seeds and water,
then shut the door and watch the timer.

"It does everything by itself," said Brusatore, a 35-year-old machinist who
lives in Maple Ridge.

He is part-owner of All-Round Industries, a company in North Vancouver that
has done parts work for B.C. Hydro.

"I design things for a living," Brusatore said.

He designed the Power Grow System, which has generated $400,000 in sales in
just three weeks.

The grow system has three chambers: One for cloning, one for vegetation and
another for flowering.

Timers regulate water, carbon dioxide and fluorescent lights - not metal
halide - in the unit, which has fans to circulate air and an exhaust system
to eliminate smells.

The fluorescent lights provide enough luminaries for plants to thrive. "The
more luminaries the better," Brusatore said.

Metal halide lamps create heat, which creates bacteria. Because there is
little heat with fluorescent lights, no pesticides are needed.

Fans also help maintain the temperature at 80 degrees inside the grow system.

The lack of humidity allows the plants to grow quickly without bugs and
bacteria.

"It simulates the perfect tropical climate to for plants to grow,"
Brusatore said. "It will grow marijuana as efficiently as any grow-op out
there." The system can grow one to two pounds of marijuana in six to eight
weeks, enough to last casual users months.

"It depends what people need," he said. "Some people are having to smoke it
quite heavily."

Brusatore sold his first unit three weeks ago and 29 more since, all to
individuals from B.C. He has applied for a patent and soon expects to
receive electrical safety approval to sell his Power Grow System in the
U.S. One unit sells for $3,600

Brusatore is currently working on 50 more orders and has a waiting list 22
requests long.

He came up with the idea a year ago after reading much about the federal
government's plan to legalize marijuana for medicinal purposes.

Federal Health Minister Allan Rock announced new medicinal marijuana
regulations on July 4. The regulations allow people to use and grow
marijuana to alleviate conditions such as multiple sclerosis and arthritis,
or if they are terminally ill. A mine in Manitoba is being used as a secure
growing facility to produce marijuana for government testing and distribution.

Brusatore is trying to capitalize on the new legislation and wants Health
Canada to consider making it mandatory for people with prescriptions to
grow marijuana to use his appliance.

He also plans to donate five per cent or more of all profits from the Power
Grow System to the Canadian Cancer Society.

He seldom smokes marijuana. He doesn't have much time, with work and kids.
And it makes him tired.

"It doesn't do anything for me."