[420 Girl]

The threat to public safety from an unknown number of medical marijuana grow operations in Chilliwack prompted Mayor Sharon Gaetz to write a letter to the federal minister of health asking for a meeting.

But the issue has also garnered support from what might be considered an unusual corner.

The Vancouver Foresight Society ( VFS ), a medical marijuana compassion club that promotes the full legalization of marijuana, is in agreement with municipalities and fire departments across B.C. when it comes to growing in residences.

"The issue of medical cannabis cultivation in structures designed as dwellings is one of our major concerns," Mike Hansen, chair of the VFS told the Times via e-mail. "In fact the medical licensed holder is not required by Health Canada's 'Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch' to receive permission from their landlord/property owner to set up a 'legal' grow-op! This method of licensing is a 'clandestine' operation, when you keep the investor/property owner( s ) out of the loop!"

In a letter dated Oct. 19 to Minister of Health Leona Aglukkaq, Gaetz outlined "a number of serious flaws" in the Medical Marihuana Access Regulations. Gaetz's concern is that individuals with licences to produce marijuana are allowed to grow 30 plants with no regulations on lights or size, in addition to growers who are allowed more than 90 plants if growing for two others.

The Fire Chiefs' Association of B.C. ( FCABC ) have concerns similar to Gaetz's in that no one knows if the growers are adhering to building codes, or if safety measures are in place, meaning legal grow operations can at time be indistinguishable from illegal ones.

"There is evidence that these Medical Marijuana Grow Operations represent the same threat to public safety as illegal ones," said the FCABC in a recent press release.

"Licence holders are often changing the use of buildings without the necessary permits or inspections and Health Canada has no procedures in place to inform any local government about the issuance of a Marijuana Medical Access Regulations license in their community," said Stephen Gamble, FCABC president. "This means that local governments have no knowledge about such operations so as to take action to ensure these sites meet all necessary building, fire and electrical safety regulations and, just as importantly, are remediated after the license expires."

At the recent Union of B.C. Municipalities conference, Victoria Coun. Philippe Lucas successfully convinced delegates to oppose a resolution to encourage Health Canada to inform municipalities about medical marijuana grow operations so inspections could be done. Lucas said divulging the identity of licensed growers to local authorities would be "constitutionally illegal" and "a gross violation of a person's privacy rights."

The VFS concern over the danger of grow-ops stems from the organization's stated goal as outlined on its website: "to act as 'designated growers,' supplying sick Canadians with the best medical cannabis cultivated under our "Grow-op Plan."

The VFS plan is to take the growing out of the hands of individual licensed growers and set up its own grow operation in a commercial/industrial location.

In her letter, Gaetz requested a meeting with Aglukkaq to discuss the issue. No one from Health Canada returned the Times' calls.

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