CITY GAINS UNUSUAL POT ALLY

The threat to public safety from an unknown number of medical
marijuana grow operations in Chilliwack prompted Mayor Sharon Gaetz to
write a letter to the federal minister of health asking for a meeting.

But the issue has also garnered support from what might be considered
an unusual corner.

The Vancouver Foresight Society (VFS), a medical marijuana compassion
club that promotes the full legalization of marijuana, is in agreement
with municipalities and fire departments across B.C. when it comes to
growing in residences.

"The issue of medical cannabis cultivation in structures designed as
dwellings is one of our major concerns," Mike Hansen, chair of the VFS
told the Times via e-mail. "In fact the medical licensed holder is not
required by Health Canada's 'Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety
Branch' to receive permission from their landlord/property owner to
set up a 'legal' grow-op! This method of licensing is a 'clandestine'
operation, when you keep the investor/property owner(s) out of the
loop!"

In a letter dated Oct. 19 to Minister of Health Leona Aglukkaq, Gaetz
outlined "a number of serious flaws" in the Medical Marihuana Access
Regulations. Gaetz's concern is that individuals with licences to
produce marijuana are allowed to grow 30 plants with no regulations on
lights or size, in addition to growers who are allowed more than 90
plants if growing for two others.

The Fire Chiefs' Association of B.C. (FCABC) have concerns similar to
Gaetz's in that no one knows if the growers are adhering to building
codes, or if safety measures are in place, meaning legal grow
operations can at time be indistinguishable from illegal ones.

"There is evidence that these Medical Marijuana Grow Operations
represent the same threat to public safety as illegal ones," said the
FCABC in a recent press release.

"Licence holders are often changing the use of buildings without the
necessary permits or inspections and Health Canada has no procedures
in place to inform any local government about the issuance of a
Marijuana Medical Access Regulations license in their community," said
Stephen Gamble, FCABC president. "This means that local governments
have no knowledge about such operations so as to take action to ensure
these sites meet all necessary building, fire and electrical safety
regulations and, just as importantly, are remediated after the license
expires."

At the recent Union of B.C. Municipalities conference, Victoria Coun.
Philippe Lucas successfully convinced delegates to oppose a resolution
to encourage Health Canada to inform municipalities about medical
marijuana grow operations so inspections could be done. Lucas said
divulging the identity of licensed growers to local authorities would
be "constitutionally illegal" and "a gross violation of a person's
privacy rights."

The VFS concern over the danger of grow-ops stems from the
organization's stated goal as outlined on its website: "to act as
'designated growers,' supplying sick Canadians with the best medical
cannabis cultivated under our "Grow-op Plan."

The VFS plan is to take the growing out of the hands of individual
licensed growers and set up its own grow operation in a
commercial/industrial location.

In her letter, Gaetz requested a meeting with Aglukkaq to discuss the
issue. No one from Health Canada returned the Times' calls.