VIGILANCE NEEDED TO FIGHT GROW-OPS

It shouldn't be surprising that more and more Kamloops residents are
setting up grow operations for marijuana.

For one thing, it's a lucrative business. A single plant can bring in
$2,000. A gram of dried marijuana sells for between $15 and $20 on the
street. Compare that to the alternatives in these times of high
unemployment and low-wage jobs.

The occasional confiscation by the police and a slap on the wrist by a
judge may indeed be just the cost of doing business -- and not a very high
one at that.

For another thing, it's becoming increasingly acceptable to use marijuana.
Polls show many people are in favour of decriminalization despite warnings
from the police that it leads to violent crime and the use of more
dangerous drugs.

Let's face it -- even many Alliance Party members, who are usually
associated with a law-and-order stance, have spoken in favour of
decriminalization.

Still, even if the sale and use of marijuana does become legitimized, there
are some good reasons why grow-ops should not be tolerated. Certainly,
judges should be doing more than handing out fines and probation.

While some grow-ops are taken care of in a meticulous manner, they are, by
no means, safe.

Stolen electricity, for example, could easily be miswired and cause a fire,
if not an explosion.

The criminals who run these operations will normally keep a low profile so
as not to attract attention. But not all of them are that smart.

They're not the sort of people you want in your neighbourhood, especially
if they have guns.

Also, if they're willing to break some laws, they may be willing to break
others that may not seem so harmless.

For police, going after grow-ops must seem like a frustrating and
never-ending task. There are good reasons for them to continue their work.
And even better reasons for us to support them.