It’s about high time

NANAIMO (CUP) — Nestled in the Alberni Valley, in an average home, lies Canada’s first legal cannabis grow operation. And it’s open for public tours.
Mik Mann is the first Canadian to legally grow cannabis. Opus Pharms, his small ranch, of sorts, produces fine medical marijuana in accordance with Canadian law. Mann’s exemptee card allows him to grow 35 plants.
I pulled up in front of his house and I wasn’t sure if I had the right place. There are no tell-tale signs of what is going on inside, but as we walked up the path towards the front door, I knew we had the right house. There was no smell of pot, nor the obvious scent of an ozone generator masking the skunky smell, but three numbers were etched into the walkway – 4:20.
We were greeted warmly at the door by a man who looked a little like Carlos Santana. He brought us in and took us downstairs to the operation. Even directly beside the actual grow room there was little odour.
There are three main sections to the continuous supply system: the vegetation room, the flowering room and the drying room. All are equipped with ventilation systems attached to charcoal filters to remove odour.
The vegetation room is where the plants are brought from seedling or cutting (clone) to maturity. The plants produce little smell at this stage, and are generally put into flowering when they are between 12 and 18 inches high. The light is on an 18 hours light and six hours dark cycle. The ideal source of light during vegging is from metal halide high-intensity (HID) lamps.
The flowering room is equipped with three 1,000 watt and one 400 watt high-pressure sodium lamps, to cover an approximate area of 10×12 feet. The lamps are on a 12/12 light/dark cycle during the flowering stage, to promote budding.
Cannabis is divided into three main sub-varieties: cannabis indica, which has its origins in the middle-east, and is typically the variety used to make hashish; cannabis sativa, which originally grew in Africa and South America, and is typically a tall plant and is the variety used for hemp fibre; and cannabis ruderalis, a squat Russian plant whose flowering period is initiated with age rather than length of photo period.
Mann suffers from spinal arthritis, so he endures a great deal of discomfort. Cannabis is the medicine he has found that works best for his condition. He prefers the relaxing body effect provided by the indica, as opposed to the more cerebral effect of the sativa. He says the sativa makes him confused to the point of forgetting what he is doing, and breaks his concentration.
He is currently growing three strains: Sticky Bud, V.I. Burmese, and Shishkaberry crossed with Sour Bubble. He actually entered his Sticky Bud strain into the 2003 Toker’s Bowl in Vancouver, and placed ninth. Marijuana has achieved a connoisseur following in some circles, comparable to that of wine connoisseurs, sampling the varieties available.
Growers are able to select from a large gene pool of seeds from a growing industry of seed breeders throughout the world. They are available online and even in storefronts in some large cities. Because of this, medical users are able to select from a long list of strains, each with their own specific attributes that aid different ailments, and purchase their medicine from compassion clubs in any number of cities.
Mann is also dedicated to supporting the cannabis community. Even after achieving exemptee status, he continues to be a strong voice against the prohibition of cannabis. He has a show on the Pot T.V. website, attends pro-pot events regularly and directly challenges prohibition by openly offering tours of his garden.
Our tour was the last one to be offered in Port Alberni. The garden is being moved to Vancouver. Mann will be setting up above the Cannabis Culture Headquarters at 307 West Hastings Street, in the epicentre of the “Vansterdam.” This will mean that the garden will be higher profile, and more people able to see it.