UBCM rejects tighter leash on medical marijuana users
By: Jeff Nagel, Victoria News (CN BC), 10-02-09

Boasting an 81-per-cent reduction in marijuana grow operations, Surrey is delivering a how-to manual to other municipalities that want to model the program used here.

Mayor Dianne Watts brought the eight-page manual to the Union of B.C. Municipalities (UBCM) meeting today, where she is delivering a presentation on the program that brought Surrey the success.

Under the program, fire officials attend homes with extraordinary power consumption (typical of a grow-op) and ask the resident to allow a city inspection of the home.

If no one is home, a request is left at the door to permit an inspection within 48 hours. Failure to comply results in power being shut off to the home.

The guidebooks delivered to the UBCM were co-authored by University of the Fraser Valley criminologist Darryl Plecas, Surrey Fire Chief Len Garis and Dr. Irwin Cohen and Amanda McCormick.

Surrey also beefed up its bylaws requiring owners of homes with grow-ops to return the building to a safe condition before it can be occupied.

© 2010 H.U.M.A.N.: Hemp Users Medical Access Network - Toronto Medical Marijuana