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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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CN BC: Solicitor General To Review Marijuana Grow Op Penalties
ccguide Wednesday 19 Mar 2003 Pubdate: Fri, 14 Mar 2003 Source: Surrey Leader (CN BC) Copyright: 2003 Surrey Leader Contact: Website: http://www.surreyleader.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1236 Author: Kevin Diakiw SOLICITOR GENERAL TO REVIEW MARIJUANA GROW OP PENALTIES Canada's top law enforcement official says he'll explore whether there should be stiffer penalties for people who start marijuana grow operations. Federal Solicitor General Wayne Easter visited Surrey Wednesday to get a first-hand look at the city's increasing problem with marijuana grow operations. The Leader revealed March 5 that as many as 4,500 grow operations exist in Surrey, a figure that represents about six per cent of the city's households. Surrey Coun. Dianne Watts said criminals are attracted to the province because of the "lax" penalties regarding marijuana grow operations. Easter, who was here to see the situation "first-hand" said that his Surrey RCMP hosts made a compelling argument for stronger justice measures. "What I want to determine is just how are the penalties being enforced," Easter said. "What is the sentencing on marijuana grow operations? So what will the facts show when we look at what's going through the court system, on whether the penalties have been there and I will certainly look at that at a future date." He said that it was made clear to him during his visit that local RCMP officers are frustrated with the revolving door at the courthouse. He said it was apparent to him after his visit that people who enforce the law feel "there should be a very heavy price paid for being involved in this kind of serious crime. "I want to compare notes on what kind of penalties the courts are in fact issuing," Easter said. "Are the penalties being enforced as outlined in the law?" He discounted the notion of giving local law enforcement the proceeds of crime. "I don't think we want to find ourselves in a situation where we're depending on the proceeds of crime to look after the costs of law enforcement, it's a bigger issue than that," Easter said to a small group of reporters at Whalley's community policing office. "We have been making progress in (the law enforcement) area, we've increased the funding for both organized crime and national security issues in budget 2001. "There's always more that can be done, not just on a proceeds of crime issue." He wants to bring back to Ottawa a plan that will see local marijuana grow operations not only lessened, but "eventually booted out of existence." Surrey RCMP Const. Tim Shields said later that Easter didn't appear surprised by anything he'd learned during the visit. "He has his ear to the ground, this wasn't a big surprise, but it's good he could see it first hand," Shields said, who described Surrey's grow op problem as typical of the region. "We do have a huge epidemic of marijuana grow operations in Greater Vancouver." - --- MAP posted-by: Alex
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