Pubdate: Sat, 10 Mar 2007 Source: Vancouver Sun (CN BC) Copyright: 2007 The Vancouver Sun Contact: http://www.canada.com/vancouver/vancouversun/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/477 Author: Matthew Claxton, Langley Advance Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada) TOWNSHIP PLANS TO USE SAFETY INSPECTIONS TO CRACK DOWN ON MARIJUANA OPERATIONS AND DRUG LABS LANGLEY TOWNSHIP - The Township will have a new tool to crack down on the owners of homes where drugs are illicitly being produced. Council has given authorization for a pilot program that will use special safety inspections to recover costs from marijuana grow homes. The $250,000 project includes a number of changes to Township bylaws. Existing bylaws will be augmented by giving the Township the power to cut off water to properties on which drugs are to produced, giving Township workers the power to conduct repairs if owners don't comply, and turning any expenses into a debt of the owners. The first three readings of the bylaw changes were passed unanimously. Because drugs and crime are federal and provincial matters, Councillor Steve Ferguson asked whether there was any way to obtain more funding from other levels of government. Township staff say there doesn't appear to be any chance of that happening. The bylaw won't be aimed solely at marijuana grow operations. The wording mentions the production of controlled substances, so it could be used against labs making methamphetamines or other substances as well. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom