Pubdate: Fri, 07 Apr 2006
Source: Langley Advance (CN BC)
Copyright: 2006 Lower Mainland Publishing Group Inc.
Contact:  http://www.langleyadvance.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1248
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)

STANDARDS GROWING UP

The provincial government has changed the Safety Standards Act to 
help local police forces crack down on marijuana growers.

Under the changes announced by Fort Langley-Aldergrove MLA Rich 
Coleman, who serves as the Minister Responsible for Housing, 
electricity companies will now be required to give municipalities 
information about homes with unusual power consumption, something 
police forces have been asking for for some time.

That was impossible due to the Privacy Act - until now.

"The number of grow-ops in our province is increasing, and so are the 
problems associated with those operations," said Coleman.

He listed the flammability of the grow-ops, the frequency at which 
guns are found, and the likelihood of the buildings being robbed as 
the major problems.

"They pose a danger to our neighbourhoods, and we're determined to 
shut them down," Coleman said.

Most marijuana grow operations use large amounts of electricity to 
power the electrical lights that fuel the growth of the pot.

However, many growers bypass the electrical meters on homes, 
effectively stealing electricity.

The changes will help law enforcement officers to do their job. They 
should take some of the heat off firefighters. Landlords will have 
less to worry about, if the number of house-destroying grow-ops is 
reduced. And neighbours may be able to sleep a little easier.

Coleman's announcement, made Thursday, should herald a welcome change 
for nearly everyone affected by grow-ops - except the crooks, that is.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman