We Are Number One (in pot growing)

"We Are Number One". That was the headlines on the front page of the Chilliwack Progress today. Number one in grow ops per capita in BC. In other words there are more houses that grow marijuana per person that anywhere else in BC.

We talked about this quite a bit at small group last night. One particular person (not me) was quite knowlegable about the whole pot industry and helped us understand some things -- and he got quite a bit of razz from the group ie "how do you know all this stuff?"

There was all kinds of info coming to the surface. Someone mentioned that on Promontory one in every 4 houses are suspected to be grow ops. Another guy, who is in the construction buisness, told us that one day while they were working in a new housing division, a big cube van pulls up and out comes a swat team to bust a grow op in the newest house of the development. Apparently, he mentioned, that new housing developments are choice places because there is such erratic use of electricity by the contruction crews that it is hard to detect high electricty usage by the grow ops.

Grow ops thrive here. The police stuggle to enforce the law against the illegal drug production. The penalties don't seem to be enough of a deterant. The money that is made on a crop of BC Bud, is apparantly well worth the risk for some.

The grow ops affect all of us. The crime levels are up. Policing costs are increasing. The ongoing debate of legalizing pot is challenging our legal system and perhaps the government is enticed with the increased income on taxing the sale of marijuana.

Grow ops are very subversive. They appear everywhere, define our community, affects the way of life, is a huge factor in our economy and is difficult to control.

How would Jesus connect with the grow op movement? How would he want his followers to live to bring more of His way, His life and His values into Chilliwack. Lots of questions, not many answers.