ELECTRICAL HAZARDS, MOULD PART OF PROBLEMS FROM POT OPERATIONS

Houses that have been used as marijuana-growing operations can pose
serious threats to the health and safety of unsuspecting new occupants.

Electrical hazards and unsafe structural changes are the most serious
of the threats, but the presence of mould in a house could have
slow-building, long-term effects on a person's respiratory health.

A group of realtors, firefighters and civic politicians in the Fraser
Valley is working to standardize the reporting of houses that have
been used to grow marijuana. At present, there is no certain way to
determine whether a home has been used as a drug house.

Ray Copes, director of the environmental health division at the B.C.
Centre for Disease Control, says the moisture and humidity associated
with growing marijuana indoors creates an ideal climate for mould growth.

"If there's mould or moisture, there are a number of health effects
that are associated with that," Copes said.

"Probably the most common finding is an increase in common respiratory
symptoms such as coughing, wheezing or exacerbation of asthma when you
look at people who live in damp or mouldy homes with visible mould
growth, compared with folks who live in homes that don't have dampness
or visible mould."

But mould is not isolated to homes that have been used for
marijuana-growing operations.

Copes said it is estimated that as many as one-third of Canadian homes
have mould growth caused by leaks, flooding or dampness. And while it
is important to take measures to remove the mouldy materials from the
home, he notes that no home will ever be entirely mould-free.

"Moulds are ubiquitous. They're found everywhere in nature," he said.
"The key is to not set up conditions for mould growth in the homes."

There are several things that can be done to reduce the potential for
mould growth in your home, according to B.C. Health Files, an online
resource provided by the provincial government.

THEY INCLUDE:

- - Venting clothes dryers to the outdoors.

- - Using a dehumidifier.

- - Ventilating the attic and crawl spaces to prevent moisture
build-up.

- - Removing water sources that may contribute to mould growth, like
standing water in planters.