Pubdate: Wed, 17 Sep 2014
Source: Ottawa Sun (CN ON)
Copyright: 2014 Canoe Limited Partnership
Contact: http://www.ottawasun.com/letter-to-editor
Website: http://www.ottawasun.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/329
Author: Doug Hempstead
Page: 3

RAISING A STINK OVER POT PLANTS

Cops Order Crop Uprooted After Neighbours Complain

A medicinal marijuana grower-user says he'll uproot his 29 plants by 
midnight Wednesday, as ordered by police after neighbours complained 
about the smell.

Dave Williams, 57, suffers from early-onset arthritis and 
degenerating discs in his back. For this, he is licenced to consume 
marijuana and is allowed to have 59 plants-but the particulars of his 
agreement with Health Canada stipulates he must grow them indoors only.

Williams says he had little choice but to move them outdoors this 
spring after his landlady decided to have a gas line and furnace 
installed in his west end home.

The area of the basement where he grew his plants was becoming a 
worksite, so he moved all the plants outside.

"I thought it would only be for a week or so," he says. "They 
originally thought it was only going to take a day to do the work."

It didn't, and is in fact ongoing.

After two or three weeks, Williams contacted Health Canada, seeking 
permission to put the plants in the ground and continue to grow them 
outdoors for the remainder of the season. He spoke to someone, but 
says he never got a reply. He decided to go ahead and plant them 
after first doing some research to determine how many he could keep outside.

His neighbours, Joan (last name not given) and Ken Steele - whom he 
was previously on good terms with - strongly oppose the plants 
because of the smell.

"I'm very resentful," Joan says. "We want a charge laid. He's ruined 
our summer."

He figures the plants will be mature and ready for harvest in less 
than a month, but has agreed to comply with police who have ordered 
him to remove them before Thursday morning - based on the fact that 
his licence doesn't permit them outdoors.

Joan and Ken aren't satisfied, they still want Williams charged.

Police say no charges will be laid based on the smell alone.

Williams is worried about how he will remove or destroy all the 
plants himself, as he is physically limited due to his chronic pain.

"I'm going to have a little party until 11 p.m., and then we'll cut 
them all down," he said.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom