Machine removes guesswork from growing medical pot

Associated Press

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — John Brusatore has a budding career because of Canada’s new medical marijuana laws.

The British Columbia entrepreneur is marketing his Power Grow system as a foolproof way for medical marijuana users to grow their own supply.

In its first six weeks of operation, All-Round Industries has done nearly $700,000 in business.

"People that do medically need (marijuana), they don’t have to go out on the street for it or they’re not going to try and set up some two-bit wiring job in their house and burn their house down," said Brusatore.

The Power Grow is fully automated and has a ventilation system to prevent the telltale smell of a marijuana-growing operation.

"You just plug it into the wall and it’ll grow one to two pounds of marijuana every six to eight weeks with no pesticides," said Brusatore, who included information on the system at www.powergrowsystem.net.

Each unit, resembling a wide refrigerator with two separate compartments, sells for about $2,600.

Brusatore and his partner, Jason Bleuler, have franchises opening in Alberta, Ontario and Quebec and they plan to expand into the United States.

Police say it is up to those who have medical exemptions from drug laws to ensure they stay within the law.

"If people are allowed to grow marijuana, they have the permits, there wouldn’t be anything wrong with them getting a piece of equipment that would allow them to do that," said Sgt. Mike Dunbar of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police drug-enforcement section in Vancouver.

But two pounds in two months far exceeds the amount they are permitted to have, he said.

"A couple of pounds every couple of months is more than one person is going to use for themselves, so what do you do with the excess?" said Dunbar.