So who is the Enemy?
S’mee again!
For
purposes of this post and the narrowed down matter of legal personal growth, wherever you
live in Canada the final enemy and barrier to
Medical Marijuana is your City Hall.
There are
any numbers of opponents on a National level but whatever results from that
squabble is inevitably going to result in a price increase. Any result
requiring Government National Regulation, even complete legalization, will of
necessity involve Contracted Regulated Production, Human Greed, Profit Expectations, and a
Taxable Product! I
don’t think the Harperites in charge are going to voluntarily subsidize Medical
Marijuana patients to help them get their dope: they already are slamming
stupid mandatory sentences for six plants. Where does that leave any pot
smoker, medical, recreational or otherwise who is struggling to or can’t afford
it at current pricing? S.O.L.
City Hall
doesn’t realize that when that future point comes they will have a problem with
illegal residential grow ops that will increase exponentially. To start off,
the majority of Medical Marijuana Possession Licensees also have Class C
Personal Growth Licenses. If not already growing their own in their residence
or wherever, they are fully capable of doing so. They are not going to
voluntarily scrap their own supply or they decide to grow their own in their
residence the cheapest possible way. Not good.
For
purposes of my little crusade I have selected Surrey as the City Council most opposed to
all growth in residential areas with the most insurmountable set of Bylaws.
They are setting the precedent for imitators all over this country who are as
misinformed about the hazards of legal marijuana growth as they are.
So what
is Their Problem?
Historical Bias
and Prejudice based on false information about
- Reality: 10 years brainwashed by Len Garis and his ilk,
- The distorted hazards presented by Grow-operations,
- the size of a personal grow ops
- Not up to date on technology of production, and
- completely unaware of the problems coming up.
So what
is My Game Plan?
I want to
take however long it takes to gather information, prepare a presentation of
fact, present it to Surrey City Council and broadcast it to every City Council
in Canada. They all need a wake up call to
the fact that they are living an illusion. I want to give them all
a
re-education as to just what the problem is, but as a first priority the fact
that there is a solution possible and all it takes is common sense.
The first
task here is to tell them who the Medical Marijuana Licensees are as
individuals who also comprise a group at serious disadvantage, with absolutely
no power, voice or influence over the decisions that are being dictated to us
with regard to a medication we can’t afford from legal sources. They need to be
reminded that I don’t give a damn if they only have one local resident they
need to empathize with that resident because he needs an exemption from the
Bylaw and they have the power to grant it.
I heard
someplace that over 1/3 of the Licensees of the MMAP are Senior Citizens on
fixed incomes. Retirement funds blown on sickness costs, no extended medical
with maximum CPP and Canada Pensions that combined are below the poverty line. Sucks
I want them
to imagine the problem of a 30 year old dad and husband who is too ill to work.
His EI sickness benefits ran out and now he has the responsibility for his
family with only his CPP Disability and Welfare to pay the bills. None of the
council will ever have to experience the discomfort of standing in the rain or
snow waiting to get into the food bank.
I want them
to understand that the Bylaws they have are completely inappropriate for the
size of grow-op we are talking about. All of Fire Chief Garis objections to
residential growth are based on large installations beyond any concept of
personal. It is designed to deter anyone creating structural alterations or
damage to the premises in which they are created. Grow ops have shrunk in size
and we are now teeny. We now have self contained environments in zippered
fabric bags the size of a horizontal or vertical freezer, energy efficient CFL
and LED lighting, and every thing is controlled by circuit boards and Chips. It
is a self contained environment whose only contact with the premises is the 12
square feet of floor it sits on and it’s connection to a 15 amp household wall
plug.
I want to
sell them the idea that creating an exception to the Bylaw to allow the
operation of an Approved personal size Grow-op is a smart move.
Hell, we
can:
- have a competition for the best design my friend potheads can come up with, or
- challenge the City use their knowledge of the objectionable features to come up with a set of rules and regulations that make sense.
There will be no hazards involved if done right.
I want to
create an impact and I think I know how to pull it off: Presentation Technology
and Facts that can’t be ignored. I almost got to Council about six months ago
and I know the route and the furfural procedure to get there. I think they have
a responsibility and I’m going to remind them of the fact but I need all the
help I can get to gather the information, collate and understand it, and
package it into a 15 minute presentation that will make them actually think.
Anyhow
that’s my game plan and I have no idea how long it will take but here goes. I
had the great experience and pleasure of working for a family of New Jersey
Jewish Light Bulb peddlers in Florida and they taught me that if you
decide to do something, you “Do whatever it takes to get the job done!”
We shall
see. In closing I would like to ask for any comments or criticisms you readers
would care to make.
- Have I got my head screwed on straight? or
Do you
think it stinks?
Let me
Know!!!
Blaine Barrett
