Growers' Names Protected

[SirBlazinBowl]

In B.C. 169 people are allowed to grow and possess marijuana for medicinal purposes and an additional 22 people get their pot from licensed growers, according to Health Canada.

But Health Canada won't release the number of licensed growers in Vancouver because it wants to protect their privacy and guard them from becoming targets of organized crime, said Christopher Williams, a spokesman for Health Canada.

"Obviously, in Vancouver it's not as big a deal [because of the population], but if it's Charlottetown or Winnipeg, then the numbers start getting smaller and it's a lot easier to tell who might have a medical issue or whatever," said Williams in releasing the latest statistics on licensed grow-ops to the Courier.

Williams, however, believes the majority of the 191 licensed growers in B.C. are likely operating in Vancouver, which has a population of close to 600,000 people.

The issue of medicinal marijuana surfaced this week when news broke that three Vancouver men are suing the city after Vancouver police raided a house that once contained a licensed grow-op.

The police recovered an undisclosed quantity of dried marijuana Sept. 8 from inside the house on St. George Street and 25 marijuana plants in a garden outside the house, according to an affidavit filed in B.C. Supreme Court by Det. Const. Jason Gray.

In the affidavit sworn Tuesday, Gray said the licence for the grow-op in the house had expired and noted there was no licence for the 25 plants growing in the garden.

Gray pointed out it was "standard practice" for the Vancouver police to check with Health Canada prior to obtaining a search warrant to determine whether a suspected grow-op is legal.

"Although I do not recall which of my colleagues did so, I know that a check was made with Health Canada regarding the residence," Gray wrote.

In their suit against the city, Michael Maniotis, Dale Waldman and Yoram Adler-all in their 40s-allege the police knowingly ignored the fact Adler had a previous Health Canada licence to grow marijuana at the house.

Maniotis told the Courier he agreed Adler's licence had expired and that's why police didn't find a grow-op in the house. He said police claims of seizing dried marijuana and 25 plants in the raid are false.

Furthermore, he pointed out Adler was authorized by his doctor for renewal of his licence in August and had sent the necessary paperwork to Health Canada.

"Technically, since his doctor has signed the forms, Mr. Adler was a marijuana patient," Maniotis said. "The police have neglected to say that when they entered the house, I notified them that Mr. Adler had been reauthorized."

Adler has an undisclosed debilitating disease and severe arthritis, Maniotis said. Adler's expired licence allowed him to possess and cultivate 24 marijuana plants. His renewed licence allows him to grow 49 plants, Maniotis said.

Adler doesn't live at the house on St. George Street but Waldman allowed him to cultivate the marijuana there, said Maniotis, noting Health Canada approved the grow-op site where Waldman and Maniotis live.

The three men, who are acting as their own legal counsel, are seeking a combined $400,000 in damages, with $250,000 going to Adler for "medical suffering which the [police] willfully caused."

Police raided the house with guns drawn and put the occupants in handcuffs but no charges were laid. After the raid, city electrical inspectors shut off power to the house and posted a "Do Not Occupy" sign on the door.

Maniotis believes police are harassing him and the two other men because of Maniotis' previous convictions for marijuana-related offences, including setting up several "harm reduction" clubs in the Downtown Eastside.

Maniotis, the director of the "B.C. Marijuana Factory," said he spent three-and-a-half months in jail last year. As director of the organization, he said he assists people find landlords who will allow licensed growers to grow pot.

Considering the hundreds of marijuana grow-ops raided by police each year, Maniotis said he found it hard to believe that police check with Health Canada each time before busting a grow-op.

All licensed growers must list their address with Health Canada. That information is available to police, but Williams of Health Canada said the organization doesn't keep statistics on number of calls from police departments.

As for licensed growers whose licences expire, Williams said, "it's a patient's responsibility to make sure their licence is renewed. They are given warnings when the expiry is approaching. They're given warning with plenty of time to renew it on time."

Newshawk: SirBlazinBowl - 420Times.com
Source: Harm Reduction Journal (UK Web)
Copyright: 2005 Robert Melamede
Contact: emdrucker@earthlink.net
Website:http://www.harmreductionjournal.com/
Author: Robert Melamede