DRUG STRATEGY BEFOR POT FACTORIES

Canada needs a national drug strategy before any more legal marijuana grow
operations are given approval to open their doors, says New Westminster city
councillor Casey Cook.

"We need a broad discussion on what our nationwide drug strategy is going to
look like," Cook said after The Record revealed last weekend that the
Marijuana Factory has now opened three 'legal' marijuana growing operation
in the city.

Cook, who chairs the city's community and social issues committee, said his
main concern is that city and police officials are having difficulty
protecting the city because of the rapidly changing rules and regulations
around marijuana.

"It's the same thing with prostitution," he said. "We have a very incoherent
set of laws, and it's very difficult for municipalities to deal with."

The whole problems started when the Supreme Court ruled that access to
marijuana was a 'reasonable expectation' for somebody facing a debilitating
disease, Cook said. Since then, Ottawa has opened an Office of Cannabis
Medical Access and is now issuing licenses to both grow and possess the
narcotic.

"Basically, Ottawa as allowed for legal marijuana grow operations to exist,
but it's not prescribed any standards for them," he said. "And as a city,
we're not advised where these grow ops exist, and that causes a whole other
set of problems.

"This is not a question of whether or not there should be medical marijuana.
That is not the point," Cook said. "The point is, we need to have a
discussion. If these activities are going to take place, what are the
circumstances under which they will operate?

"How do we deal with the safety issues, and how do we deal with standards?"

"You've got legislation crafted to deal with an isolated situation, and
what's being done is not well thought out. It just doesn't fit into the
larger picture."

"If the Supreme Court of Canada says a person has the legal right to medical
marijuana, it's not too difficult a reach to expect the federal government
to prescribe a process that is safe for everyone. Thus far, that just hasn't
happened."

Surprisingly, at least some of Cook's comments are supported by the
operators of the Marijuana Factory.

"I just wish more local politicians would get on the bandwagon and start
asking Ottawa those questions," said Yoram Adler, the person who holds the
grower's license for the Queensborough-based operation.

"We're on the same team. we'd like Ottawa to have a fully comprehensive
policy on cannabis and other soft drugs.

Adler noted that federal justice minister Martin Cauchon has promised to
table draft drug legislation this spring.