Updated: Tue Jan. 24 2012 16:13:22

ctvcalgary.ca

A Calgary man who runs a legal marijuana grow operation in his home says he couldn't survive without it and that local law enforcement and the city should stay out of it.

The man, who doesn't want to be identified, gave CTV Calgary a tour of his home on Tuesday.

He has osteoarthritis and degenerative discs and has a Health Canada licence to cultivate and use medicinal marijuana.

He started farming pot when he couldn't deal with the side effects of regular pharmaceuticals and says marijuana has none of the side effects of those medications.

"Cannabis has very few side effects. The three predominant ones are happy, hungry and sleepy. When you compare that to the dangers of pharmaceutical drugs they don't compare."

It took three months for him to get a licence and he only supplies himself.

He says that growing his own medicine is also therapeutic.

"It's happy work. I find it helps me emotionally to be commuting with my plants, growing them and it keeps me calm, keeps me happy," said the man. "I find it really has a calming effect and it's emotionally healthy to be growing the plants."

Last week, the City of Calgary Building Regulations and Calgary police conducted an inspection of another federally approved medical marijuana grow operation and found several safety violations.

The inspection uncovered several safety infractions including: building code infractions, compromised air intake, toxins, pesticides, herbicides, fertilizer and potential contamination of drinking water.

The grower CTV talked to on Tuesday says police and the city should not have any jurisdiction over these federal sanctioned operations.

"The city and the police have no business knowing where those gardens are. Health Canada does. Health Canada's authorized to inspect them. It's none of the municipality's or police's business. It is private medical information," said the man.

For more information on medicinal marijuana, visit the Health Canada website.