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Bellatrix

B.C. city to fine landlords if tenants grow marijuana

CBC.com | August 16th, 2004



CHILLIWACK, B.C. - The British Columbia city of Chilliwack is poised to bring in a bylaw that would fine landlords $10,000 if they don't notice tenants have set up marijuana growing operations.

Landlords say the bylaw would unfairly penalize them for being duped by unscrupulous renters.

Bellatrix; what if they just don't feel that snooping on tenants is ethical? Or maybe they see this law for the sinister thing that it really is - a way to criminalize an otherwise innocent segment of society.

Municipal officials in Chilliwack, located about 100 kilometres east of Vancouver, say local police are shutting down an average of two grow operations every week. Still, they don't seem to be putting a dent in B.C.'s $7-billion industry.

Bellatrix; that's DAMN RIGHT that they don't! Grow, my western brothers! GROW LIKE THE WIND!!

The new bylaw, which councillors will vote on Monday night, requires landlords to check on tenants regularly to make sure the property is not being used illegally.

"The lawyers are saying it will absolutely hold up," said councillor Sharon Gaetz. "If lawyers don't pay the fine, it goes on their property taxes, and if the taxes aren't paid, the house is sold."

The head of the Lower Mainland Municipal Association, Terry Smith, said it's not fair to target landlords who already pay a steep price for renting to marijuana growers.

"If you have a grow-op in one of your rented homes, it may cost you $30,000 or $40,000 to return that to some sort of habitable condition," he said.

Bellatrix; again, a repitition of this friggin' myth that a house in which marijuana grows must be some depraved shack. Keep an eye out for more "meth=marijuana" stories.

A $10,000 fine on top of that cost is too heavy a burden for landlords, Smith said.

Bellatrix; what really freaks these guys out is that if too many grows get discovered or shut down, their tenants won't be able to pay the rent. The economy in BC has become so dependent on the cannabis trade that it's become to late for the authorities to reverse the trend.

By contrast, most marijuana growers are fined just $1,200 when they're caught – and police say many consider that just a cost of doing business.

Bellatrix; and don't forget folks, the MAN just ain't tough enough on all those mean ol' dope manufacturers!

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Higher Logic

Great job up there! Man that really shows how strong the movement is, thumbs up for this article OK, going off on a tangent for a second: I just smoked a really good joint, a pinner if you will. I had to eat something, so I had some butter noodles from the previous night, some left-over fried chicken strips, and some bacon in the fridge. I cooked the bacon, chicken, and noodles together and made a cheese cream sauce with some milk, arrowroot (natural thickening agent) and hot damn, it's either really good or I'm just really high...probably both Cheers!

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Cassius

They'll be shooting themselves in the foot in they enact this. The only thing it'll hurt is the real estate industry -- it sure as hell won't do a damn thing about the grow op industry.

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solutions

Silly laws and politicians who draft them...

If done with a little knowledge there is no way a landlord is capable of spotting a grow operation. Assuming a tenant doesn't have to let a landlord into his home randomly there's no way they would find a properly run grow operation...

Now I'm all hungry, thanks HL!

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3 monkeys sitting under a coconut tree
discussing things as they are set to be
Said one to the other, now listen you two
there's a strange rumor that can't be true
they say man was descended from our noble race
but the very idea is a big disgrace
no monkey ever deserted his wife
or her baby to ruin their lives.
Damian Marley - Educated Fools

smoking_joe_lee

Every time I start to think that Canada is more sane than the USA when it comes to it's drug laws, a story like this appears. It seems like this law will have a negative impact on the availability of rental properties. Property owners will not want to risk the huge fines. Both renters and landlords suffer.

 

rick

And the Marijuana use rolls on...

When I started this website, I really, honestly believed prohibition would be over in the next 5-10 years. Now, I realize that the war on drugs will never be over. My children will most likely suffer the drug war as well as their children and there is relatively little I can do about it.

I have become ashamed of the policies the U.S.A. has implemented and I am ashamed of what has become of this "land of the free". This is a nation of zombies who are no longer capable of thinking for themselves and have decided that the government can best think for them. From Schooling to politics, the US just does not participate and therefore deserves whatever fallout happens because of our inaction.

Prohibition not only effects the user, but also the guy next to him - piss in a cup lately? If so, its sad, huh? You're also a victim of the drug war, even if you dont think you are. You are. That is why you are called "sheeple", because you think it is best even though it violates everything for which America was founded on. It's not, it's your personal freedom you are giving up and for that you are no better than a slave to the master you work for.

A few people can make money on probhibition, most of those are governement run agencies, ie DEA, FDA, DA, Judges, Prosecutors, defense attorneys and Politicians. The others are drug testing companies and the big pharmaceuticals, both of which lobby heavily to maintain the status quo. Yes, their are others making money on prohibition, but not to the degree of those listed.

I'd like to see the landlords of the unrented properties set fire to them and defer the cost to the insurance companies, who continue to drug test. Now, Im not advocating arson and it's just my opinion, but it sure is a good one.

I have a specific question for the L.E.O. visiting our discussions, feel free to post anonymously.

How often are you piss tested and how do you feel about someone taking your urine to see what you have been up to for the past month?

Specifically, I am looking for Nightshifts response.

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smoking_joe_lee

There is something here I don't understand. The original thread concerns a proposed Canadian law. Specifically BC. Yes this proposed law is unjust and would ammount to a huge infringement on the rights of the people of BRITISH COLOMBIA. So, how is it about this story inspired you to write this diatribe?

First of all, if Americans are all, "zombies no longer capable of thinking for themselves" we would not see many posts that disagree with some official prohibitionist policy. There would never be movements to decriminalize marijuana in states such as Alaska. Zombies are not capable of such actions.

"...that is why you are called 'sheeple'..." who, may I ask are the ones using the term "sheeple?" Americans? If that were the case would that not amount to, as your logic seems to imply, the pot calling the kettle black, so to speak?

"...no better than a slave..." This is CLEARLY an exaggeration to try to make a point but fails because people capable of "thinking for themselves" know slaves HAVE NO RIGHTS. They do have the right to vote. Every American age 18 and older have the obligation to get out and vote. On the other hand I would not support a law such as Australia has mandateing, under penalty of law, that everyone vote.

Yes, at times, it is discouraging. It seems NOTHING can be done and REEFER MADNESS will never end. Many people believed the Cold War would never end and the Berlin wall would stand forever. I was one of those people. Cheer up! Have a little faith in America and in Americans in particular. More and more Americans are voting for medical mj, for example.

ps

Looks like I need eat a some crow. Recently I said Jimmy Carter did NOTHING in the cause of decriminalization of marijuana. Then I found this quote...

"Penalties against drug use should not be more damaging to an individual than use of the drug itself. Nowhere is this more clear than in the laws against possession of marijuana in private for personal use."
President Jimmy Carter 8-2-77