Oh! Canada Green Vancouver By Jennifer Harrison

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Although I have been known to enjoy a pint or two, and have occasionally suffered the consequences of drinking to excess, I am not a drug user. Judging from the amount of junk food I eat, I am sure that I have done more damage to my body in the long run than what smoking a joint now and again would inflict. However, I enjoy being in control of my faculties, and therefore have never been interested in using anything to alter my state of consciousness.

Throughout my time at university, I had many friends who did occasionally smoke a joint or two, and one rather slovenly neighbor who seemed to be constantly walking around in a daze. Every so often, his face would glaze over more than usual as he spoke about the fabled "B.C. bud." He talked about the outstanding qualities of marijuana grown in British Columbia as one would discuss the attributes of a fine wine. We would all listen politely, slightly confused by his evident affection for this breed of pot.

Since my move to Vancouver a month ago, I must admit that I have been surprised by the number of times I have seen or smelled people smoking pot in public. Many of these people are homeless, but the people in the apartment downstairs light up everyday at five, and I can smell the scent of pot in the air.

I don't know if all the hype about "B.C. bud" is really justified. The hydroponics growers are probably not doing anything different from those in Ontario. Perhaps British Columbia still clings to more of it's hippy past than other provinces do, and the modern-day equivalents of those flower children are more prevalent here. Hemp stores flourish everywhere, selling everything from T-shirts to pencil cases made from the harmless fiber of the cannabis plant.

I have even heard rumors that there are cafes here in the city where one can buy and smoke marijuana, and that these cafes were known to law enforcement, but nothing seems to have been done about them until recently.

Perhaps as a result of legislation passed during the summer to regulate marijuana growth for medical purposes, it seems as if there is a widening crackdown on illegal pot dealing and growing here in Vancouver.

Recently, police closed down one Vancouver establishment known for selling marijuana to patrons, and an organization known as the "Grow Busters" has been publicized quite a bit. The Grow Busters is a group of civilians and a special unit of police that works together to locate and destroy illegal marijuana growers in British Columbia.

"Grow-ops" as they are known, are often located in suburban neighborhoods, where innocent-looking homes are radically retrofitted to allow for the extraordinary amount of electricity and humidity needed to grow the cannabis plants.

The result is a dangerous fire hazard, and the people who run the grow-ops don't usually live where their plants do. They hire "gardeners" to tend their crops. The combination of serious fire hazards, thousands of dollars of damage to homes and hazardous mold as a result of the high humidity levels has sparked this outspoken group of anti-marijuana crusaders.

In Canada, using cannabis (marijuana) for medical purposes has been a hot topic in political circles for nearly a decade. For people suffering from illnesses such as cancer, multiple sclerosis or AIDS, marijuana can be used as a very effective and relatively harmless painkiller. Until recently, the use, growth and distribution of marijuana was illegal. Many very sick people were arrested and sent to jail over their desperation to find something to ease their suffering.

In an attempt to begin to regulate the situation, the Canadian government has created the Office of Cannabis medicinal Access. The OCMA studies the therapeutic use of marijuana and reports to Health Canada on the safety and effectiveness of the herb, and is attempting to develop a reliable, monitored Canadian producer that these patients may access. As of July 30 of this year, seriously ill people can now apply for an exemption through Health Canada, and gain permission to use marijuana for medical purposes.

Once authorized to use marijuana, Health Canada also mandates that one may grow marijuana for themselves or ask someone to grow it for them, and that one may only possess enough marijuana for 30 days of treatment at one particular time.

Even as I write this, the Canadian government is working to cultivate a "safe" and effectively monitored national crop of medicinal marijuana. I wonder if the best medicinal marijuana will be grown out here in B.C. Ethe legend of "B.C. Bud" continues.

Shukan ST: Oct. 19, 2001

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