VERNON WANTS GROW-OP DETAILS

There is a concern that medicinal marijuana may be fuelling criminal activity.

On Monday, the City of Vernon supported the RCMP's demands that the
federal government notify enforcement agencies and municipalities on
where licenses to grow marijuana have been issued.

"We need to know where they are so we can make sure things are
policed properly and there is no risk to neighbours," said Coun. Bob Spiers .

The RCMP claim licensed medical marijuana-grow sites have led to
participation by organized crime and home invasions because of the
potential profits from the illegal sale of marijuana.

A recent study looked at 180 medicinal marijuana-grow sites across
Canada between 2004 and 2010. It indicated that 67 were involved in
trafficking and production beyond the terms of the federal license.

"We have had concerns for children in those homes having access to
chemicals in grow-ops," said Supt. Reg Burgess, with the Vernon RCMP.

"There is insufficient control given to local authorities on where
medical grow-ops should be."

Burgess says Health Canada only has one inspector per 388 licenses in
the country.

"Health Canada can license medical marijuana growing sites but it has
no capacity to inspect them and the community has no capacity to know
where they are," he said.

Besides potential criminal activity, there is a concern that there is
an increased risk of fire in grow-ops and chemicals may be dumped
into the sewer system.

"We can't access who they are under Health Canada," said Clint
Kanester, the city's bylaw enforcement manager, of federal privacy laws.

Vernon will pursue the matter at the Union of B.C. Municipalities
convention in September. If there is sufficient support there, the
federal government will then be lobbied to make changes to its
notification process.