Pubdate: Tue, 04 Dec 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

POT ACTIVIST HAS CONCERNS WITH CITY PROPOSAL

A Kamloops marijuana activist says a proposed change to the city's
zoning bylaw goes too far in restricting the growing of medical marijuana.

While he initially told KTW he supported changes that would allow
medical-marijuana growers to quietly set up shop in the city's
industrial areas, Carl Anderson of the Canadian Safe Cannabis Society
said he now has some serious concerns about the proposal.

Kamloops council decided last week to hold a public hearing on the
bylaw amendment, which is intended to get medical-marijuana production
out of residential areas.

City staff say residential grow-ops post health and safety risks for
neighbours, as well as for the growers.

They can become targets for criminal elements and the operations may
be fire risks if they're not set up properly.

However, Anderson said a ban on residential growing will impact many
growers who can't afford or aren't able to take part in warehouse 
production.

"Personally, I don't want to produce at my home. I want to make it
somewhere better. But, I'm not going to support that at the expense of
cutting off everyone else," he said.

While the proposed Kamloops restrictions come as Health Canada is
looking at phasing out the parts of its medical-marijuana program that
allow participants to grow their own supply and moving to a fully
commercial system, Anderson said city hall may be jumping the gun if
it's enacting restrictions based on that possibility.

Anderson said medical-marijuana activists are already gearing up for a
"huge battle" and possible lawsuits if Health Canada moves to get rid
of personal production.

"Historically, Health Canada, the product they provide is wholly
inefficient and no one wants it," he said.

There's also an issue of cost.

Anderson said growing a personal supply of medical marijuana at home
can be done relatively cheaply, noting many users worry
government-issue pot will become prohibitively expensive.

Anderson said he will attend the city's public hearing, but many of
Kamloops' other medical marijuana users are worried that if they
divulge their names - a requirement to speak at a hearing - they may
become targets for criminals or lose employment when they are pegged
as pot smokers.

"They're also afraid city hall is going to use the knowledge of who
they are to pursue them and attack them after they pass their new
bylaw," Anderson said.

While he's hoping to put some growers in touch with city councillors
in advance of the hearing, Anderson is not sure how much sway they
will have.

"It's not as compelling to read an email as it is to hear someone's
voice outright," he said.

A date for the public hearing has not been set, but city staff said it
will likely be held in January.
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MAP posted-by: Matt