DOPE FARM NEXT DOOR BAD NEWS

Regardless of your viewpoint on marijuana, you're likely not going to want
to live next door to a grow operation, says Winnipeg police Sgt. Danny
Smyth. That's because the indoor dope farms come with several public
dangers, including fires and electrical hazards, not to mention the fact
that they're usually associated to organized crime.

A residential grow op is also often the target of thieves.

"In 2004, we had over a dozen grows that were discovered as a result of
break-ins and/or home invasions," said Smyth, a supervisor in the Winnipeg
police drug unit. "What that tells me is that somebody was breaking in to
steal the product because they likely couldn't grow it themselves."

On average, Winnipeg firefighters discover an estimated 10-12 grow ops
while responding to fires every year, said Capt. Gord Pottinger, of the No.
9 fire station.

Grow-op blazes cause upward of $1 million damage annually, he added.

Then there's the mould problem.

The humidity in a grow op can cause toxic mould build-up in a home, which
isn't always obvious.

There have been cases where former grow-op homes, which were plagued by
unseen mould, were sold -- unbeknownst to the real estate agent and the
homebuyer, police said.

The Insurance Bureau of Canada estimates the average repair bill for a
grow-op house, which includes fixing the electrical hook-up, is up to $80,000.