EDMONTON - Federal Health Minister Rona Ambrose says her hands are tied right now over the growing trend of home-based marijuana grow ops because the matter is before the courts.

Ambrose says if she had her way, there'd be no more grow ops for medical marijuana.

However, a federal court granted an injunction a year ago grandfathering those that were already in place.

Ambrose says she has heard about abuses and problems such as mould and fires in homes, as well as illegal trafficking.

She says political pressure is needed from the public to bring about change.

Newly released figures show the Conservative government spent more than $7 million on a 10-week, anti-drug advertising campaign that wrapped up at the end of last month.

That's more money than Health Canada spent advertising all its programs and services combined in the previous 2013-14 fiscal year.