CITY LAUNCHES PLAN TO PUT A STOP TO POT GROW OPS

Covered house windows, a "skunky" smell or an unusually high level of
traffic.

Those are some of the warning signs that should raise concerns among
residents.

They could signal a neighbour is hiding a marijuana growing
operation.

Last week, the Edmonton Stop Marijuana Grow Ops Coalition released a
new brochure designed to help Edmontonians identify grow ops in their
communities.

"A lot of the time people suspect something is going on, but aren't
sure," says Darren Derko, a detective with the Edmonton Police Service.

Derko says the number and size of grow ops in the city have increased
drastically over the last three years and police need the community's
help.

"Our lifeline is the information that comes from the community... They
point us in the right direction," he says.

In 2002, 14,000 marijuana plants were seized in Edmonton.

Last year, that number more than doubled, with 31,000 plants, valued
at $31 million, being confiscated.

Between January and August of this year, police raided 45 city grow
ops, seizing 16,091 marijuana plants worth an estimated $16.1 million,
along with $461,000 worth of equipment.

The fact growing marijuana is illegal is only one of the concerns with
pot factories, according to law enforcement and health officials.

Grow op houses can also create serious health risks such as carbon
monoxide poisoning, toxic mould and chemical contamination.

An operation is also a safety hazard, with heat lamps and rerouted
power wires increasing the chances of fire and electrocution.

The Edmonton Stop Marijuana Grow Ops Coalition includes
representatives from city hall, health sector, insurance industry,
business, real estate, utilities and police.

Coun. Karen Leibovici is spearheading the group of community
partners.

"We hope Edmontonians will be able to recognize a grow op and will
know what to do if they do find one," she says. "We want to stop grow
ops in the city and we want to do it as quickly as possible."

The Edmonton Real Estate Board paid $10,000 to cover the cost of
printing 350,000 brochures which will be handed out by partners in the
coalition like Edmonton Police Service and Capital Health.

Other warning signs of grow ops include:

* condensation on windows, frost build up on eaves and vents during
winter, and lack of snow on the roof

* sound of electrical generators or fans

* lights visible that are much brighter than normal home
lighting

* unusual piles of garbage such as fertilizer containers, pots and
soil left beside the house.