KUDOS TO REALTORS, PROVINCE MUST ACT

Each day it becomes more clear that the fight to stop organized crime
from running marijuana growing operations necessitates a multi-faceted
approach.

More cops alone won't turn away growers or grow rippers, who have no
qualms about terrorizing innocent families in their pursuit of B.C
bud.

While stricter laws and tougher sentencing for growers would bolster
the effort, much more is needed.

And the Vancouver Real Estate Board is doing its part to protect
future home owners from unwittingly placing themselves in harm's way.

Their request to have property disclosure statements include a
reference to marijuana growing activity deserves to be applauded.

If approved by the provincial real estate association, it will provide
a better level of assurance that buyers know exactly what they are
purchasing.

Now it's the province's turn to step up and protect tenants
too.

With the increasing proliferation of grow ops in townhouses and
apartments in addition to houses, tenants deserve an equal level of
protection.

Landlords should be required by law to disclose this. And if they
don't, there should be serious consequences, both civil and criminal.

That way there's isn't a repeat of the incident earlier this month,
when a family renting a West Richmond house received the shock of
their lives when as many as four masked and armed men broke down the
front door of their home around dinner time.

Had they known the house had previously been a grow op, they would
never have rented it, they said.

Now that buyers appear to be getting more protection, it would be fair
to afford renters the same.