10.The Vancouver Sun

Thursday, November 22, 2007
B.C. Will need more jail space for pot growers

By Chad Skelton



If the new federal legislation is approved, in British Columbia alone, there will be "700 more prisoners every year". There is a growing amount of pot growers in B.C. so, "you basically need a new prison to facilitate that," said Darryl Plecas, a criminologist at the University College of the Fraser Valley. To me, this was not as shocking to hear as it must have been for most. As a teenager in high school you are exposed to the realization that marijuana is becoming a part of many teens every day life. Under the law right now, someone convicted of growing "between one and 200 plants would receive at least six months," between 201 and 500 plants at least one year and 500 or more would receive at least a 2 year prison sentence. If this law were to be granted, the length of these sentences would be increased 50%. I am not exactly sure how I feel about the sentencing. Right now, only 10-15% of people convicted of growing marijuana serve any time in jail, but with these new regulations, they will be very harsh and many more people convicted will serve time. I don't smoke marijuana and I am not a very big fan of it for myself but I do not think it is as bad as people make it out to be; if used appropriately, the same as alcohol. I do not think it should be legalized though because quite often, when used inappropriately, (usually by teenagers) it can effect peoples lives greatly in a negative way. Although I believe it should not be legalized, I'm not positive I believe in how harsh the sentencing is.
* "I'd say we're at the limit," says Lisa Lapointe, the B.C. Corrections spokesman, it is astonishing that B.C. jails are at their limit. She goes on to say that the jails are packed and most of the inmates are already double-bunked, making it almost impossible to take in any more convicts. Because only 10-15% of people convicted of growing pot serve time, right now the other 85% do not serve any time at all; but with the new rules being set in stone that other 85% will almost definitely be serving time as well, and there is no space for them. I think that if B.C. jails are basically filled up then they should build more jail facilities. It is not fair that people convicted of crimes are not serving jail time due to the lack of space. This article was interesting to read because I didn't really know the severity of marijuana growers in our own province. I think that B.C. should definitely put more money towards the building of a few more jail facilities, but I do not think that the sentencing should be as harsh as it is, but that is just my opinion.