Pubdate: Thu, 27 Dec 2012
Source: Nanaimo Daily News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2012 Nanaimo Daily News
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/nanaimodailynews/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1608

GROW OPS POSE RISK TO US ALL

There will be a lot of smiling and nodding and happy faces at the news
that federal Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq is taking aim at marijuana
growers who are hiding behind current laws to operate illegal drug
businesses.

Nobody wants illegal grow-ops in their neighbourhoods or in their
communities. We all pay for the electricity they steal. We all pay for
the service costs they dodge.

Nobody wants the dangers associated with living next door to such
operations.

There is always the very real risk that their colleagues in crime will
bring violence to their "place of business" - which can easily spill
onto the streets as they "protect their interests" or into nearby
homes through "mistaken identity" or even into local shopping malls as
they engage in open battle.

Firefighters face grave risks when they all too often have to deal
with grow-op fires - or fires in legitimate homes that they might fear
could be grow-ops.

We all pay the social costs. And we all are eager to shed those costs
- - or at least make those who force that burden on us pay.

- - Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows Times
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MAP posted-by: Matt