To the Editor,
Something’s been bothering me, and that’s these government-sponsored commercial pot factories. Where I live on Gabriola Island we are looking at one of these mega units at Duke Point in Nanaimo; I believe everything they grow is with hydroponics and if I’m not mistaken all the rest grow the same way.
When I confronted one of the consultants of a nearby operation in Duncan and asked why they don’t grow organically in soil, his short answer was “why?” He was called away and I didn’t get to tell him some of the hundreds of reasons why it’s so important to grow everything organically, especially if it’s intended for medical use.
Hydroponics are a very efficient way to grow virtually anything, its fast, economical, and although expensive to set up, a lot less labour intensive.
The problems associated with this kind of growing though, is the amount of petroleum-based nutrients and pharmaceuticals used in such high concentrations that would never be allowed in food production, now maybe marijuana isn’t going to be classed as a food anytime soon but one should look at the actual amount of people using this product medically, which normally involves ingesting it.
Mark ShawGabriola Island