I wonder where we're headed, and how rocky the road might get, as we begin navigating the new world of medical marijuana.
New federal regulations that came into effect earlier this year aim to shift the production of medical marijuana from home-based grow-ops to large-scale industrial facilities. In many ways the new rules make sense by limiting the number of operations, making it easier to regulate as well as to enforce stringent security measures.
So while these new regulations are a step forward by taking the growing of medical marijuana out of basements and garages, they're creating apprehension among a new set of potential neighbours.
Delta has created its own legislation to ensure medical marijuana can't just be grown anywhere in the municipality, preferring to see it restricted to industrial zones. Again, it makes sense, but now you're creating situations where largescale grow-ops are being proposed adjacent to industrial tenants, not all of which are keen about what the new neighbour wants to do.
Civic politicians approved the first application on Annacis Island last month after hearing from just one opponent, but another proposal, this one in the Tilbury area, has already generated several letters ahead of a public hearing later this month.
These worries are understandable given the facilities would produce a commodity that's prized on a lucrative underground market, making it a prime target for criminal activity. The federal government obviously recognizes this possibility by insisting on strict security measures, but is that sufficient assurance for those doing business next door or across the street? It's quite possible that we look back a decade from now and laugh about how much of a non-issue these facilities have become, but it's also conceivable that 10 years on we're desperately searching for another way to handle the situation because of the problems that have been created.
My crystal ball is a little fuzzy on this one but I think our mayor, who has been around long enough to spot an issue capable of exploding, was bang on in her comments earlier this week. Lois Jackson said that, in her opinion, it has to take a very special situation in order for a medical marijuana application to qualify for municipal approval.
If we're going to have these large-scale grow-ops, they've obviously got to go somewhere, but Jackson's council colleagues would be wise to heed her sage advice.
