I guess I am off to Vancouver, B.C. (http://www.canada.com/vancouver/news/story.asp?id={43D4B8EB-83CC-4633-A417-9295C6235A90}) for the Holiday. :smokin:

Hey I live here... not all that happy about Vancouver's newfound special status.

Within two blocks of my home there have been three "grow-ops" uncovered. All when bad things happen. Two caught on fire. One had children in it, apparently they survived ok.

The third is 10 doors to the north of me and was invaded by machete wielding thugs who attacked the grow-operator and sent him to hospital. Unsure what happened to him.

The police feel that there is a grow up in every neighborhood - in some, in every block. Its a huge problem. It isn't victimless or harmless.

Drugs have become a huge export business for BC and are of course of huge interest to organized crime including foreign gangs and terrorists.

Vancouver Port is the largest port on the West Coast of North America. Its 10 minutes north of me. A large percentage of illicit material, from drugs to weapons, that comes through the port will one day find its way into the US. The underground drug economy, funded in no small part by pot activities, certainly must contribute to the illegal movement of goods and people that most North Americans would prefer be stopped.

Perhaps when terrorism in a Canadian or US port causes people to rethink their support of drugs as a 'victimless crime', there will be a sea change for the better.

My two cents.

But have a nice time in Vancouver just the same ;)

Mike

I am a non-smoker and live in Washington State. The thread was tongue in cheek and I understand your concern. I am curious when an area in the United States will jump on this bandwagon. Note that the director of tourism actually applauds the press they are receiving. Does Canada not have a Federal government willing to step in and quash little revolts like that occurring in Vancouver?

Also: We have a far more insidious scourge here ... crank. The crap is everywhere and these folks are violent.

Ok everyone calm down and spark it up! :pimp:

I'm ~7 hrs north of Van, and there's lots of stinkweed here too.

Not nearly as many busts though- It's all grown in remote areas.

Road trip!!!

Well dammit down here in North GA Ive been sober for 5 years;( I knew i shouldnt have moved back here from Canada:D

Hi Jeff,

I'm also a militant antismoker but that's another story... the short story is our family grew hundreds of acres of the stuff. Ugh. I've never smoked however.

Crank? We have everything here. All ports, Vancouver no exception, are major import areas for all sorts of nasty stuff. We have a huge problem with heroin, cocaine and other additions in the city, and a corresponding problem with HIV AIDS among intravenous users.

Most of this a visitor will never see - its all confined to a smallish area called the Downtown East Side. Not pretty.

The rest of Vancouver and BC - beautiful...

I think we need to spend less money and time fighting pot and focus on hard drugs. Pot is harmless.

James from Earhost will make that trip with you sure mlip129! :D

James, Just kidding smokie, but seriously its better than being a tweeker staying up all night doing crank! :) Puff Puff pass~

:smokin: lol

J - How did I know you would throw that smilie in there. :stickout

:D on a serious note though, I am not no pot head that smokes pot all day every day...but I do smoke occasionally. But I would still prefere a nice cold "CANADIAN" beer any day...


PS: American beer sucks

Originally posted by mwatkins
"grow-ops"
[...]
the grow-operator
Wow. It's obviously big there, you guys even have coined new words for it. I've never heard either of those terms used, and I live in NYC where we do have some amount of drug presence.

JayC - not sure if we coined the terms but it is definitely common use here. They set up shop in basements all over town, try to keep the houses looking neat and tidy.

But big power drains give them away eventually... and a not surprising number of fires. Seems few 'grow ops' are wired by real electricians LOL.

James - I'm with you, we do have good beer! But American micro brews are good too!

Notice how James said his American beer comment in small little letters...afraid of your big bad brother to the south James? :D

Remember we got nukes and a reason to come up an invade canada now that Vancouver is the hot sPOT.

I am a beer man myself. I enjoy a nice cold one with speghetti. Now thats heaven! :)

Gonna do a little more friendly fire eh?

...afraid of your big bad brother to the south James?

Wouldn't that be little brother? Canada has the larger land mass.

More room for us to conquer and pillage! We need to have a 7-11 and McDonalds on every corner. It's only a matter of time before we move to the north an kick some canadian bootie and the good beer then becomes ours. Just kidding Eh? :D

Canada is kool. Id like to visit but too many terrorists live in Canada so ive reconsidered. :eek:

Terrorists in Canada?? Huh :confused: Canada is one of the safest Countries in the world to live in.

Im referring to the immigration policies. I could take a trip from egypt or afghanistan and get some brew and then walk accross.

Canada's immigration policies are remarkably similar to those of the US. If refugees can properly identify themselves and there is no evidence against them, the government has no excuse for detaining them while their case is heard.

Remember that the 9/11 hijackers were in the US, not in Canada...