Grow operations in BC are the biggest single drain on the tax payers dollar when it comes to dragging people through the legal system.

I live in a new sub division of homes with an average value of 500-600k, on my street alone there has been 3 grow op's busted in the past 3 years. Each grow takes 90 hours of investigation before a search warrant can be effected. the average size of the grow op's were 700 plants yielding about $64.000 per harvest which is around every 73 days.

First time offence punishment is 12 months house arrest with allowance to attend work and your kid's school functions etc. No hard jail time has been imposed for repeat offenders.

The majority of the control of the Grow op's are Asian gang's and Hell's Angels. we have had several violent grow-rip off's with gun battles in BC.

IMHO smoking it is no worse than drinking, no one can tell me otherwise. I see the problem with the prohibition and the illegal activity it sparks.

90% of all pot grown in BC is going south, the payment is seldom cash but Cocaine and hand guns.