Pubdate: Thu, 21 Feb 2013
Source: Chilliwack Times (CN BC)
Copyright: 2013 Chilliwack Times
Contact:  http://www.chilliwacktimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1357
Author: Paul J. Henderson

SKY HIGH

Number of Medical Marijuana Production Licences Issued in Chilliwack 
Has Tripled in One Year

A year after reporting that Chilliwack residents were three more 
times likely than average British Columbians to be licensed medical 
marijuana growers, the Times has learned the number has tripled.

According to figures obtained through an Access to Information 
request in January 2012, 238 Chilliwack residents were licensed to 
possess marijuana for medical reasons and 193 were licensed to 
produce marijuana for medical purposes.

There were 4,608 licensed users and 3,831 licensed growers in all of 
British Columbia 13 months ago. That translated to about 85 growers 
and 102 users per 100,000 people. But Chilliwack had about 280 
growers and 344 users per 100,000 residents.

Health Canada has told the Times there are now 666 persons in 
Chilliwack who hold a licence to possess marijuana for medical purposes.

That's a 180 per cent increase in one year and mirrors provincial 
increases. As of Feb. 18, there were 13,362 people in B.C. authorized 
to possess, up 190 per cent from a year ago, and accounting for 
nearly half of the 28,076 across Canada.

The number of those growing marijuana increased even more.

As of last week, there were 513 individuals in Chilliwack who hold 
personal use production licences (PUPL) and 77 who hold designated 
person production licences (DPPL). Assuming the 193 number from a 
year ago included both PUPLs and DPPLs (Health Canada was unable to 
confirm this by press time) that's a three-fold, or 206 per cent, 
increase in growers in the city in one year.

Provincewide, the number of growers rose from 3,831 a year ago to 
11,601 (9,369 PUPLs and 2,232 DPPLs) today. That compares to a total 
of 9,846 growers in the nine other provinces and three territories combined.

In the past decade, Health Canada says the medical marijuana program 
has grown exponentially across the country, from under 500 authorized 
persons in 2002 to more than 28,000 today.

Mayor Sharon Gaetz and several city councillors have made no secret 
of their health and safety concerns regarding medical marijuana licences.

There are also serious concerns about illegal activity connected to 
medical marijuana grow operations and the lack of oversight by Health Canada.

But the medical marihuana access regulations (MMAR) will be changing 
soon and the government is looking for feedback up until Feb. 28.

"Current medical marihuana regulations have left the system open to 
abuse," Health Minister Leona Agluk-kaq said in December, when the 
proposed changes and consultation period was announced. "We have 
heard real concerns from law enforcement, fire officials, and 
municipalities about how people are hiding behind these rules to 
conduct illegal activity, and putting health and safety of Canadians 
at risk. These changes will make it far more difficult for people to 
game the system."

When asked if Health Canada inspected local medical marijuana growers 
to ensure compliance with regulations and other laws, a spokesperson 
said "inspectors for the Controlled Substances Program (CSP) use a 
risk-based approach to monitor and promote compliance with the 
Controlled Drug and Substances Act (CDSA) and its regulations. The 
CSP conducts approximately 180 inspections on regulated parties per 
year for all controlled substances and precursor chemicals."

Part of why changes are proposed is because of government concern 
about abuse of the system, the spokesperson told the Times.

Under the proposed changes, individuals will also no longer be 
allowed to grow marijuana in their place of residence.

When the new rules come into effect on April 1, 2014, licensed 
producers will be required to notify local governments, police forces 
and fire officials of their intention to apply to Health Canada so 
authorities will be aware of the location of the grow-ops.

At Tuesday's meeting, city council approved a staff recommendation to 
respond to Health Canada about its concerns over zoning, licensing, 
bylaws, health, safety and security related to medicinal marijuana 
grow operations.

At that meeting, Coun. Chuck Stam also expressed concern that medical 
marijuana production permitted on farm land could pressure on the 
agricultural community. He suggested the topic should be brought to 
the attention of the Union of B.C. Municipalities.

See the Chilliwack Times next week for more on this subject, 
including the firsthand experiences of those living adjacent to 
medical marijuana grow operations in commercial and residential areas.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom