LET'S CRACK DOWN ON GROW-OPS

The murder of four RCMP officers at a marijuana grow-op in Alberta should
not be cheapened as a political tool to be used to fight the
decriminalization of the drug in Canada, but must be acknowledged as a
political failure to properly equip police in the fight against such
illegal operations all the same.

Whether it's marijuana grow-ops or methamphetamine labs, at issue is not
the type of drug being processed illegally, but rather the sophistication
of how it's being done in practically every community across the nation and
the challenges that poses to police.

It is to our shame that four RCMP officers were killed by a man apparently
defending his grow-op in northeastern Alberta.

We should have seen it coming. For the past few years, the prevalence of
home grow-ops has exploded across Canada. Within the criminal element, the
operations have become a lucrative business that involve little work and
easy revenue.

They are also minefields.

Electricity is often rerouted illegally around meters to avoid detection
from authorities, as grow-ops use powerful lights and heaters that suck
power and create major fire risks. In residential areas, that also puts
neighbouring homes in potential danger.

They also produce poisonous air from moulds and toxins that flourish in
such conditions. And that's just the tip of the iceberg for those charged
with the responsibility of cleaning these places out.

While often left empty, grow-ops can be heavily fortified with boobytraps
and other nasty deterrents such as razor wire and spike belts.

Methamphetamine labs are worse. The chemicals used to create the drug are
highly volatile and many labs are only discovered after they blow sky-high,
taking out half the neighbourhood with them.

Decriminalization marijuana may dull the incentive to create grow-ops, but
it's not likely they will go away overnight. Like moonshining, there will
still be a market for the stuff that slips under the government's radar.

That's why, no matter how the decriminalization debate proceeds, action
must be taken immediately to properly train and equip police for the battle
against grow operations.

No amount of backtracking can bring back the four RCMP officers who were
victims of this criminal enterprise that has been allowed to flourish for
too long. And our hearts go out the families and co-workers of these
officers who died in the line of duty.

A U.S.-styled war on drugs isn't needed in this case. A war on those who
would put society and police at risk to produce those drugs is long overdue.