People who have a licence to use medical marijuana should collect the drug from a central location rather than grow it themselves, Kelowna-Lake Country MP Ron Cannan suggests. That would help eliminate the problem of homes with legal grow-ops being targeted by criminals, Cannan said after a meeting Wednesday with representatives from a variety of community groups. "We should move the grow-ops out of residential areas," said Cannan, who was joined at the meeting by Delta-Richmond MP Kerry-Lynne Findlay, parliamentary secretary to Minister of Justice Rob Nicholson. Attending the closed-door gathering were local politicians, directors of the Rutland and Downtown Kelowna business associations, and service groups such as the Boys and Girls Club. The session was billed as a chance for locals to air their concerns on a variety of crime prevention issues. The apparent rise in gang activity, and its potential for violence, was uppermost in the minds of some of those who attended the meeting, Findlay said. "Perhaps because of the high-profile shooting of a gang member here a year ago, concerns about gangs seem to be very much on people's minds, more so than in other communities," said Findlay, who is travelling across the country to hold similar meetings. While statistics suggest the overall crime rate is trending down and is at the lowest point in years, Cannan said certain offences - particularly violent ones, and those to do with gang activity - are on the rise.
There are also many unreported crimes, he said, because victims aren't confident charges will be laid.
"The police are doing a great job, but in B.C it's the Crown prosecutors who decide whether charges will be laid," Cannan said. "Police are always held to be accountable, but who holds the Crown prosecutors accountable?" Last year, a number of B.C. mayors called on Ottawa to cancel all medical marijuana licences. The current system for allowing people to smoke pot for health-related reasons is open to abuse, they said, with some licence-holders growing far more marijuana than they need and selling the surplus. Police have also complained they don't have access to timely, accurate information on which grow-ops are legal.
There are also many unreported crimes, he said, because victims aren't confident charges will be laid.
"The police are doing a great job, but in B.C it's the Crown prosecutors who decide whether charges will be laid," Cannan said. "Police are always held to be accountable, but who holds the Crown prosecutors accountable?" Last year, a number of B.C. mayors called on Ottawa to cancel all medical marijuana licences. The current system for allowing people to smoke pot for health-related reasons is open to abuse, they said, with some licence-holders growing far more marijuana than they need and selling the surplus. Police have also complained they don't have access to timely, accurate information on which grow-ops are legal.
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