cannabisnews.com: Federal Government Not Protecting Ontarians Federal Government Not Protecting Ontarians Posted by CN Staff on June 20, 2003 at 15:03:53 PT Press Release Source: Canada NewsWire Toronto -- Bob Runciman, Minister of Public Safety and Security charged today that the federal government's insistence to decriminalize marijuana is putting the people of Ontario at risk. "The potential for the proliferation of grow house operations in Ontario is a reality because of the federal government's legislation to decriminalize marijuana," said Runciman. "It's time for the federal government to establish tough minimum sentences because without their help, grow house operations will continue to thrive." Toronto Police Chief Julian Fantino also expressed his concerns about the consequences of the federal government's proposal to decriminalize marijuana. "This proposal, if it is passed, will result in a proliferation of marijuana grow houses in our Province," he said. "These operations will not be run by law-abiding citizens; they will be operated by organized crime." Runciman urged the federal government to direct a fair share of the $64 million, which was announced for RCMP drug enforcement following the introduction of the federal marijuana decriminalization legislation, to Ontario provincial and municipal police services. OPP Commissioner Gwen Boniface echoed the concerns regarding grow operations. "The epidemic of indoor marijuana grow operations, spearheaded by organized crime, pose considerable threats to the public and to police and fire personnel, by virtue of the use of hydro bypasses and chemical fertilizers used in the production of the plants," she said. Runciman also questioned other priorities of the federal government. "It's mind boggling that the federal government is devoting all this time and resources to decriminalization, when there are more than 36,000 illegal immigrants in Canada; they are dragging their feet on establishing a National Sex Offender Registry and they have not provided compensation to victims of SARS," he said. An average grow house operation in Ontario could yield a profit of $1 million annually and anyone caught in this activity typically only faces a conditional sentence of up to nine months, which consists of no time spent in a correctional facility. Fact Sheet: INDOOR MARIJUANA GROW OPERATIONS FACTS AND FIGURES Small Indoor Grow: 50 plants yield profit of $55,000 annually Offenders typically sentenced to 60-90 days. More likely a conditional sentence. Average Grow: 300 plants yield profit of $1 million annually Offenders typically sentenced to up to nine months. More likely a conditional sentence. Large Grow: 20,000 indoor/outdoor plants yield a profit of $15 million Offenders typically face 18-month jail terms. * In 2002, provincial and municipal police services shut down 1,200 indoor grow operations across the province.* According to Niagara Regional Police, there have been at least nine fires in the Niagara region in 2001-2002 that exposed marijuana-growing. operations. * Peel Regional Police dismantled 31 indoor marijuana grow operations in 2000; they dismantled 152 in 2001 and 243 in 2002. * Average indoor grow operations with a hydro bypass "steal" from $18,000-$20,000 in hydro per year. * The average home uses on average 5-7 amps of electricity. Grow houses typically use from 50-200 amps for heat lamps used to grow marijuana and these lamps pose significant fire risks. * The Electricity Distributors Association estimates $500 million worth of hydro was stolen in 2002. * Temperatures inside the house usually reach 40 degrees Celsius or more. * In 2001, 24 grow houses in the Greater Toronto Area caught fire. * Grow houses also pose environmental risks from the chemicals used to cultivate the crops. In the event of fire, these chemicals can be a potential toxic risk. * Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the chief intoxicant in marijuana, was between 1-2 per cent in the 1970s. The drugs produced today are now more than 10 times more powerful. * The size of cannabis grow operations varies from a few plants grown in a closet to thousands of plants hidden in warehouses or underground bunkers. * Grow house operators frequently rent houses from unsuspecting landlords. The houses are often destroyed by the operation. * On average police take from 60 to 120 hours to investigate and dismantle each indoor marijuana grow operation.For further information: Bruce O'Neill, Ministry of Public Safety and Security, (416) 326-5005; Meaghan McFedries, Minister's Office, (416) 325-0867For more information visit http://www.mpss.gov.on.caComplete Title: Federal Government Not Protecting Ontarians: RuncimanSource: Canada NewsWire (Canada)Published: June 20, 2003Copyright: 2003 Canada NewsWire Ltd.Contact: cnw newswire.caWebsite: http://www.newswire.ca/Related Articles & Web Site:Cannabis News Canadian Linkshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/can.htmAttorney Stays Charges in Cases of Marijuanahttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16658.shtmlToronto Police Ignore Pot Party in Front of HQhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16653.shtmlJudge Allows Marijuana Ruling To Standhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16592.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #4 posted by JR Bob Dobbs on June 20, 2003 at 19:54:21 PT LTE Sirs, Bob Runciman has got it completely backwards. Why is marijuana grown indoors in the first place? Because of its illegal status, it has become literally worth its weight in gold - for those who can get away with growing it. Increasing the penalties will increase the price, and drive the business further into the hands of hardened criminals with nothing to lose. Why do people buy marijuana from criminals in the first place? Because their government allows no alternative. There is no place else to buy it, and the current penalties are effective at dissuading many otherwise law-abiding cannabis smokers from growing their own. Why does the government insist on this system, which ensures massive profits for organized crime? Why can't it be grown by responsible companies, like Prarie Plant Systems which recently grew the government a crop in Flin Flon Manitoba? A legal grow operation could be held to strict regulations, much like a legal brewery. Merely allowing individuals to grow their own at home would shrink the number of commercial-size illegal grow operations significantly. No amount of raids and crackdowns could end the illicit trade in alcohol in the 1920s; the end of the speakeasy era came not at the end of a gun but at the end of a pen. Criminalizing the business put us in the mess we're in now, and tougher laws are not the way out. [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by mayan on June 20, 2003 at 16:43:29 PT Clowns Why are there so many grow-ops? Because there is so much money to be made. Why is there so much money to be made? Because cannabis has been prohibited for decades.Want to put the hurt on organized crime? Take the money out of cannabis. Legalize it! When will these clowns pull their heads out of the sand and think? Amazing.JUST SAY NO TO RECRIMINALIZATION!!! [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by Jose Melendez on June 20, 2003 at 16:23:22 PT Go TO! http://edition.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/americas/06/19/canada.sars.pot.reut/index.htmlCNN article: Mark Emery Suggests Canadian Cannabis Tourism CNN: "Prince of Pot" Pushes TOurism [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by cloud7 on June 20, 2003 at 15:37:04 PT He's got it backwards If he'd look south to the U.S. he'd see that, in fact, "tough minimum sentences" have done absolutely nothing to stem the "proliferation of grow house operations." But, they have reduced many people to living in cages. [ Post Comment ] Post Comment