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“Cannabis Growing Problems and Solutions”
Stephen J VandeKemp
Stephen J. VandeKemp is a medical marijuana user and the owner of www.hempcanadian.com. He was a legal s.56 federal grower and exemptee from the years 2000-2002. Disabled 1995-2002 from depression and anxiety – Cannabis-cured and currently working for Toronto Hemp Company (THC)
Cannabis Growing Problems and Solutions – Alternatives to increased penalties, increased police enforcement and mandatory minimum sentences:
The Canadian Public wants the government to ease cannabis regulations - no criminal convictions for possessing small amounts. We must reduce and remove penalties for personal consumption and allow a socially acceptable method to grow and purchase small amounts for personal and or medical use. This would eliminate the gateway to other drugs caused by the black market where youth and adults are forced to go to get their cannabis supply, as well as organized crime’s involvement in cannabis growing and distribution.
The police media blitz regarding the dangers of hydroponics laboratories has been blown way out of proportion, exaggerated and manipulated to sway public opinion in favor of cutting off the supply of cannabis to our youth and responsible using adults. Slightly easing cannabis laws, and perhaps increasing demand, all the while increasing penalties in an effort to cut off supply is very counter-productive.
Gardening has never been a very dangerous activity! Growing cannabis indoors is akin to growing and harvesting "hothouse tomatoes." The moment a cannabis plant is introduced into the greenhouse it becomes a dangerous “lab,” even though the very same conditions and products are used for many species of plants.
With the media hearing and publicizing only one side of the story, you get a lopsided and corrupt view of growing cannabis. My past experience as a "Health Canada approved" section 56 federal cannabis medical exemptee and grower has proven that the only real and probable dangers involved with cannabis growing revolve around its illegality.
I was the target of police raids, home invasions by thugs, and extortion from growing teachers. I found the process of growing cannabis itself to be a relatively harmless activity. I found, much to my surprise, the prohibition of cannabis to be very dangerous. No Canadian should be put in that dangerous a position, especially not society’s most vulnerable - the sick and dying and our children.
The only commonsense and practical solution to any problems associated with growing cannabis is to legalize its cultivation thereby eliminating the real harms caused by its prohibition and perhaps follow other models of social control and regulation.
My late grandfather taught me that there are no bad plants and that gardening is a very harmless and healthy activity. But the ire of gun drawn police raids and home invasions by armed thugs and extortion from blood sucking criminals is far more dangerous than smoking a joint or growing a plant like a hothouse tomato.
Most Canadians believe the costs of prohibition as it relates to cannabis consumers and growers to be a vast waste of resources better spent on other more pressing issues. Let's get real, be creative and push change forward instead of backwards for a better future for our children and their children.
Sincerely,
Stephen J VandeKemp