Pubdate: Mon, 21 Nov 2005 Source: Vancouver Sun (CN BC) Copyright: 2005 The Vancouver Sun Contact: http://www.canada.com/vancouver/vancouversun/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/477 Author: Mike Howell, Vancouver Courier HEALTH CANADA WANTS TO PROTECT THE LICENSED MARIJUANA GROWERS VANCOUVER - In B.C. 169 people are allowed to grow and possess marijuana for medicinal purposes and an additional 22 people get their pot from licensed growers, according to Health Canada. But Health Canada won't release the number of licensed growers in Vancouver because it wants to protect their privacy and guard them from becoming targets of organized crime, said Christopher Williams, a spokesman for Health Canada. "Obviously, in Vancouver it's not as big a deal [because of the population], but if it's Charlottetown or Winnipeg, then the numbers start getting smaller and it's a lot easier to tell who might have a medical issue or whatever," said Williams in releasing the latest statistics on licensed grow-ops. Williams, however, believes the majority of the licensed growers in B.C. are likely operating in Vancouver. The issue of medicinal marijuana surfaced this week when news broke that three Vancouver men are suing the city after police raided a house that once contained a licensed grow-op. - --- MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman