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The420Guy
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ILDERTON -- Marijuana home-grow operations are getting an unfair rap,
says an Ilderton grower busted last week by police.
"I just want people to know there is a safe side. My house is not
going to burn down. The kids are not going to burn in their sleep,"
said Mike Mcdowell of Ilderton.
Mcdowell offered The Free Press a rare invitation to see a home-grow
marijuana operation yesterday.
He admitted he was growing marijuana and said he has no problem with
police doing their job.
"They were very courteous and professional," he said.
But the pot he grew was hardly worth what police said and was only
used for personal use, Mcdowell insisted.
"People do need it. Now I'm a criminal for growing in my own home."
In a news release, police said they had seized marijuana's valued at
$112,000. City police estimate each plant brings in about $1,000.
But Mcdowell said he had only 48 plants in hydroponic growth and 53
cuttings, bringing the street value to between $10,000 and $15,000.
In any case, he doesn't sell marijuana, Mcdowell said.
"It wasn't for sale. It was for personal consumption."
Mcdowell said he'd rather not break the law, but with arthritis in his
knuckles, he smokes for both pain relief and pleasure.
He and his wife, Tabetha, figure they shared on average about four
joints a day.
With two boys in the house, the couple kept their grow operation under
wraps in the basement, Mcdowell said.
"Ask my kid about marijuana. He won't know what you're talking about,"
said Mcdowell, also owner of the Plant Doctor, a hydroponics store in
London.
"I teach classes on hydroponics. I have elderly ladies go home and
grow vegetables in their basements."
Police and firefighters have recently stepped up efforts to warn the
public about massive marijuana grow operations, which can use entire
houses and tap illegally into hydro lines.
Mcdowell agreed the large-scale trafficking operations can be fire
hazards.
"The traffickers are the ones who are going to kill somebody."
But in his house, he pointed out, breakers, plugs and lights in his
basement were all properly wired and surpassed safety standards.
He alternated between hydroponics in one room and a soil operation in
another to keep a steady supply of marijuana.
Each operation used two 1,000-watt, high-intensity sodium light bulbs
for 12 hours a day.
The hydroponics room appeared state of the art, with silver Mylar on
the walls, pull-down shades covered in more Mylar, a carbon air
filter, a fan and a track system for lights that allows them to pass
over the plants just as the sun would.
"I imitate nature as much as I can. Clean air, a breeze," Mcdowell
said.
The equipment costs about $6,000 and the lighting about $65 in hydro a
month, he said.
The charges have put him out of growing, Mcdowell said.
"I'm out of it. Now I'll have to go to the pharmacy and get man-made
medications."
Source: London Free Press (CN ON)
Copyright: 2003 The London Free Press a division of Sun Media Corporation.
Contact: letters@lfpress.com
Website: https://www.fyilondon.com/londonfreepress/
Pubdate: Thu, 08 May 2003
Author: Randy Richmond, Free Press Reporter
says an Ilderton grower busted last week by police.
"I just want people to know there is a safe side. My house is not
going to burn down. The kids are not going to burn in their sleep,"
said Mike Mcdowell of Ilderton.
Mcdowell offered The Free Press a rare invitation to see a home-grow
marijuana operation yesterday.
He admitted he was growing marijuana and said he has no problem with
police doing their job.
"They were very courteous and professional," he said.
But the pot he grew was hardly worth what police said and was only
used for personal use, Mcdowell insisted.
"People do need it. Now I'm a criminal for growing in my own home."
In a news release, police said they had seized marijuana's valued at
$112,000. City police estimate each plant brings in about $1,000.
But Mcdowell said he had only 48 plants in hydroponic growth and 53
cuttings, bringing the street value to between $10,000 and $15,000.
In any case, he doesn't sell marijuana, Mcdowell said.
"It wasn't for sale. It was for personal consumption."
Mcdowell said he'd rather not break the law, but with arthritis in his
knuckles, he smokes for both pain relief and pleasure.
He and his wife, Tabetha, figure they shared on average about four
joints a day.
With two boys in the house, the couple kept their grow operation under
wraps in the basement, Mcdowell said.
"Ask my kid about marijuana. He won't know what you're talking about,"
said Mcdowell, also owner of the Plant Doctor, a hydroponics store in
London.
"I teach classes on hydroponics. I have elderly ladies go home and
grow vegetables in their basements."
Police and firefighters have recently stepped up efforts to warn the
public about massive marijuana grow operations, which can use entire
houses and tap illegally into hydro lines.
Mcdowell agreed the large-scale trafficking operations can be fire
hazards.
"The traffickers are the ones who are going to kill somebody."
But in his house, he pointed out, breakers, plugs and lights in his
basement were all properly wired and surpassed safety standards.
He alternated between hydroponics in one room and a soil operation in
another to keep a steady supply of marijuana.
Each operation used two 1,000-watt, high-intensity sodium light bulbs
for 12 hours a day.
The hydroponics room appeared state of the art, with silver Mylar on
the walls, pull-down shades covered in more Mylar, a carbon air
filter, a fan and a track system for lights that allows them to pass
over the plants just as the sun would.
"I imitate nature as much as I can. Clean air, a breeze," Mcdowell
said.
The equipment costs about $6,000 and the lighting about $65 in hydro a
month, he said.
The charges have put him out of growing, Mcdowell said.
"I'm out of it. Now I'll have to go to the pharmacy and get man-made
medications."
Source: London Free Press (CN ON)
Copyright: 2003 The London Free Press a division of Sun Media Corporation.
Contact: letters@lfpress.com
Website: https://www.fyilondon.com/londonfreepress/
Pubdate: Thu, 08 May 2003
Author: Randy Richmond, Free Press Reporter
