Pubdate: Fri, 05 Mar 2004
Source: Toronto Sun (CN ON)
Copyright: 2004, Canoe Limited Partnership.
Contact:  http://www.canoe.com/NewsStand/TorontoSun/home.html
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/457
Author: Antonella Artuso, Queen's Park Bureau Chief
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)

WAR ON POT GROWERS HEATS UP

Cops, Officials Meet To Cultivate Strategies

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 a two-day Green Tide Summit yesterday, bringing 
together 65 stakeholder groups including police, government officials, real 
estate agents and hydro representatives to discuss the worsening problem.

Kwinter said an illegal grow operation busted recently in York Region had 
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, listing chemicals, fire 
and violence as potential threats.

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