Pubdate: Thu, 29 Nov 2012
Source: Kamloops This Week (CN BC)
Copyright: 2012 Kamloops This Week
Contact:  http://www.kamloopsthisweek.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1271
Author: Andrea Klassen

PUBLIC TO HAVE SAY ON POT GROWING

Kamloopians will get a chance to hash out their feelings about medical
marijuana.

Kamloops council has agreed to hold a public hearing, at a
yet-to-be-determined date, on a bylaw change that would restrict where
legal weed growers can set up shop in the city.

If the new rules are adopted, medical-marijuana grow-ops will only be
allowed in industrial zones and will be subject to a number of
restrictions and conditions.

While the changes drew praise from marijuana activist Carl Anderson
when he spoke to KTW last week, they have another local grower concerned.

The man, who did not give his name for fear his grow-op would become a
target, said many of the growers he knows are of a low-income
background, disabled, or both, arguing the city's new regulations will
be prohibitively expensive.

"I can't afford to up and move and put my medicinal grow-op in an
industrial area," he said.

"I just can't do it. I'm eating at the food bank to begin
with."

The man said he wouldn't have a problem with the city mandating
inspections of growers' residences to make sure they meet building and
fire codes, but said the proposed restrictions go too far.

"The average person is going to go back underground," he said. "And,
they're never going to know."

However, the city isn't the only organization looking at getting
pot-growing out of homes.

Kamloops' debate comes as Health Canada is considering major changes
to its Medical Marihuana Access Program.

Under the current system, the federal government hands out production
licences to individuals, allowing them to grow pot for themselves or
up to two people in the program.

But, Health Canada spokesperson Stephane Shank said the federal
goverment may move to a system where medical marijuana is grown at
large-scale operations then shipped to those who need it, eliminating
home growing altogether.

"Essentially, the goal here is to help prevent any sort of illicit use
around the medical marijuana," Shank said, "and, this, of course,
would also help keep communities safe."

Regulations are in the drafting stages and the production switch isn't
confirmed - it requires legislative change to come into effect - but
Shank said if Health Canada does go in that direction, producers would
have to follow community guidelines on where a business can operate.

Shank said there is no set timeline for getting the draft regulations
out for consideration, but Canadian's should get a look at a more
concrete proposal soon.

Kamloops council has also agreed to work with the Federation of
Canadian Municipalities, which has been lobbying hard for changes to
the federal medical-marijuana program.

Mayor Peter Milobar said getting pot production out of the hands of
individual users makes sense from a community-safety
perspective.

"You don't grow your own T-3s in your basement, either," he
said.

However, councillors Arjun Singh and Donovan Cavers voted against the
lobbying effort, saying they didn't feel comfortable supporting the
move to large-scale production without more information.

While Cavers also expressed concern medical-marijuana growers hadn't
been consulted before the city's bylaw came forward, Coun. Marg Spina
said a public hearing gives them and others in the community that
opportunity.

Councillors also wrestled with whether the bylaw should allow
pot-growing in agricultural areas as well as industrial zones. Both
options were on the table but, in a report to council, staff said
agricultural lands are often in residential areas, which defeats the
purpose of the bylaw.

Coun. Tina Lange countered that allowing people to grow marijuana on
farmland seems like a natural fit.

"It seems to me that greenhouses and agricultural land is probably a
good place to be growing such things," she said. "If we are looking to
be a sustainable community, why would we not encourage the use of
sunlight as opposed to artificial light?"

A motion to include agricultural lands in the zoning amendment failed,
but Singh said if the public wants to see them included, council can
reconsider it at the hearing.

"I hope farmers show up and I hope people with personal licences show
up," Singh said, adding he's looking forward to what is already
expected to be a lively hearing.

"It's going to be like fireworks. It'll be interesting."
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MAP posted-by: Matt