Sudbury residents to debate medical marijuana grow-ops

The public will get its chance to speak on prescription pot being produced in Greater Sudbury.

City councillors voted Monday night to hold a public meeting on regulating medical marijuana facilities.

Councillor Fabio Belli said he believes it won't be long before the city gets a proposal for a legal grow-op.

"I've received calls from numerous people looking at potential businesses and I expect some doors to open here and I think we got to be ready for it," he said.

Belli suggestedthere will likely be concerns if a medical marijuana grower wants to set up near a residential area in Greater Sudbury.

Coun. Dave Kilgour said hewants to make sure rules are in place before a legal marijuana grow-op comes to town.

Unlike cellphone towers and solar panels, the city gets a say in where these medical marijuana facilities will go.

"Let's do our homework, let's sit and listen to the people and then we'll come down and do the zoning changes we require and have them where we want them to be," Kilgour said. "We have our chance to make our mark on this."

Kilgour says the current system of prescription holders being able to grow marijuana for their own use has caused problems for neighbours and Greater Sudbury police.

A public meeting on medical marijuana is expected to be held in the next few months.