PROVINCE MAY REGULATE CHEMICALS AND EQUIPMENT LINKED TO DRUGS

Hydroponic equipment may be harder to come by, once the provincial
government has finished rethinking current legislation.

The government will start looking this fall at the possibility of
regulating the sale of hydroponic equipment, Solicitor General Rich Coleman
told the Langley Advance News.

The government wants to look into how it could restrict or monitor the sale
of the equipment so police would have access to such information, said
Coleman, the MLA for Fort Langley-Aldergrove.

"We're just looking at whether this is something that is feasible and
worthwhile doing."

Hydroponics is a means of growing plants and vegetables without soil.

The system is commonly used in hothouses and greenhouses.

Hydroponics is also used to grow illegal marijuana plants.

That's why, Coleman said, the government is considering regulating the
equipment involved.

"Marijuana grow ops are the basis of organized crime," he said.

"It funnels money into everything to do with organized crime, including
money laundering."

A discussion on hydroponic equipment arose during a meeting last week
between Coleman, his provincial counterparts and the federal justice minister.

Work on the initiative will begin this fall, and then be shared with other
provinces, Coleman said.

As well as looking at regulating the growing equipment, Coleman said, the
government will also consider potential new rules for the chemicals used
for making methamphetamines, drugs known as "speed."

Both could be regulated by retailers by asking them to keep track of their
customers, Coleman said.

"What we're thinking of doing is what we do with certain types of chemicals
and fertilizers that can make explosives," he said. "We're thinking of
actually regulating it (by having them) keep a record of their customers."

"It's not like we're saying, 'You're going to have to register your
customer,'" he said. "You're going to have to keep a record of who you are
selling to."

Coleman said he's not too concerned about potential criticism from the
hydroponics industry.

"Frankly, I don't care," he said. "I'm at the point where, do you want to
have people stealing $50 million worth of power from BC Hydro and setting
these things up in houses where there's children, the wiring's faulty _
putting these families and children at risk, or whole neighbourhoods?

"I don't have a lot of patience with those who think we shouldn't try and
regulate to deal with crime, particularly this situation, because it is not
something we can continue to let (go on) at the level it is."

Local hydroponic equipment sellers didn't want to speak on the record when
contacted by the Langley Advance News, but some did express concerns.

They questioned what equipment the government would consider as hydroponic,
and were concerned about the extra cost and work created by the regulations.

Some also said the hydroponics industry is often tainted unfairly by
marijuana grow ops.

But Coleman said the industry will be consulted on any proposed changes.

"This won't be something we'll just blanketly do," he said. "We'll work
with the industry to make it workable for them and for us."

Coleman added that if any legislation results from discussions, it could
take a year to prepare.