LANDLORDS LEFT FIXING THE DAMAGE

Landlords left waiting to exhale can finally see the light (and it's not
hooked up to a hydroponic lab) thanks to the introduction of No Grow.

No Grow promoters are touting the spore-spreading product as the next great
weapon in our war against drugs. The idea behind it is simple: let people
know they'll have trouble producing weed and they probably won't try.

This product marks one small scrap of redemption for homeowners, after one
giant slap in the face from Canada's medical marijuana program and
insurance companies.

Canada's medical marijuana program does not require tenants growing pot for
personal, medicinal reasons to ask their landlord's permission. Nor are
they required to volunteer info regarding their little gardening projects.
However - and this is the kicker - if one of those grow-ops starts a fire
which burns down a rented home, insurance will not reimburse the owner. Not
only is the homeowner without a house, but they are in no way compensated
for their loss. Lynda Pasacreta, chief executive officer of the B.C.
Apartment Owners Association calls the idea 'crazy'. Many of Maple
Ridge-Pitt Meadows homeowners will agree.

Pasacreta said marijuana grow operators are typically responsible for more
damage than they can pay for. That leaves the landlord holding the bag,
since insurance companies don't cover damage due to grow operations.

Dennis Prouse, government relations manager for the Insurance Bureau of
Canada, said whether a grow-op is legal makes no difference to the way the
industry handles policies or claims.

"They look at risk factors," he said. "And there is a lot of risk involved
with grow-ops."

Homes growing marijuana are being busted all the time. Police say
electrical bypass units are being used in these houses, resulting in costly
repair bills for the owners.

While the effectiveness of No Grow is still in question, it's certainly
better than nothing - which is exactly what some homeownerss could be left
with under Canada's current laws.