HOME-GROWN IN ONTARIO

Central Ontario is a popular place for marijuana growers.

While the drug bust at the former Molson plant in January, 2004, was the
biggest indoor grow operation in Canadian history, it is by no means an
unusual occurrence.

- - In the last three years, the Huronia Combined Drug Enforcement Unit
executed 377 search warrants for marijuana grow operations. Officers found
a total of 204,721 plants and seized 211 weapons.

- - When calculating a seizure's worth, police generally assign $1,000 value
per plant.

- - In 2003, the drug unit split into two groups: Huronia and Kawartha, to
handle the increasing number of calls.

- - The number of marijuana plants seized annually by Canadian police has
seen a six-fold increase since 1993.

- - More marijuana plants are seized in Quebec and British Columbia than any
other province. Nearly 580,000 marijuana plants were seized in Quebec in
2003, and B.C. police pulled up nearly 461,000 pot plants. Ontario was
third with 232,000 plants seized.

- - In November, the federal government reintroduced legislation to
decriminalize marijuana, and enact tougher penalties for grow operations.
The Liberals are proposing four levels of cultivation offenses. Growing one
to three plants could result in a $500 fine.

Between four and 25 plants could mean up to five years less a day
imprisonment; up to 18-months imprisonment and/or up to a $25,000 fine.
Between 26 and 50 plants could lead to 10 years in prison.

More than 50 plants could result in a maximum 14 years in prison.

If passed, the legislation would make possession of up to 15 grams of
marijuana punishable by a fine of $150 for adults and $100 for minors.
Possession of one gram or less of cannabis resin (hashish) would result in
a fine of $300 fine for adults and $200 for youth.