Pubdate: Fri, 05 Mar 2004
Source: Ottawa Sun (CN ON)
Copyright: 2004, Canoe Limited Partnership
Contact:  http://www.fyiottawa.com/ottsun.shtml
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/329
Author: Antonella Artuso
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)

SUMMIT SMOKES OUT POT PROBLEMS

TORONTO -- Finding six children sleeping on urine-stained mattresses on the 
floor was one of the more unpleasant discoveries for police officers who've 
busted illegal pot operations in Ontario, says Community Safety Minister 
Monte Kwinter. Kwinter kicked off the two-day Green Tide Summit yesterday 
which brings together 65 stakeholder groups, including police, government 
officials, real estate agents and hydro representatives, to discuss the 
worsening problem of marijuana grow houses.

Kwinter said an illegal grow operation in Toronto recently turned up six 
kids living in squalor, part of an estimated 10,000 children exposed to 
grow houses according to one police report.

"Try to imagine what life was like for these kids -- think about the 
hazards which they may have been exposed to," said Kwinter.

The goal of the summit -- organized by the Ontario government and the 
Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police -- is to create a cohesive strategy 
to combat what police say is a rapidly expanding criminal activity in the 
province.

NDP MPP Peter Kormos said there are already many laws on the books, 
including child protection laws, to respond to problems associated with 
grow operations.

"The conference is somewhat redundant," Kormos said.

Asked if legalizing pot would solve the problem, Kwinter said most of the 
marijuana grown in Ontario is headed for the U.S. market where it's illegal.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom