Pubdate: Tue, 24 Oct 2000 Source: Press Democrat, The (CA) Copyright: 2000 The Press Democrat Contact: Letters Editor, P. O. Box 569, Santa Rosa CA 95402 Fax: (707) 521-5305 Feedback: http://www.pressdemocrat.com/opinion/letform.html Website: http://www.pressdemo.com/ Forum: http://www.pressdemo.com/opinion/talk/ Author: Mike Geniella MENDOCINO HAPPY TO GIVE UP MARIJUANA-GROWING CROWN Mendocino County, heart of the infamous "Emerald Triangle," has been toppled as the state's top marijuana producer by Kern County, better known for its raisins and cotton fields. Attorney General Bill Lockyer said that after 18 years of Mendocino and marijuana being synonymous in the public perception, Kern was actually where the action was this pot-growing season. Lockyer on Monday released state statistics showing that nearly twice the number of marijuana plants -- 59,015 -- were seized in Kern as in Mendocino County. In fact, he said, more dope was hacked down this year in Kern than in Mendocino, Sonoma and Lake counties combined. "As far as I'm concerned, that's good news. We've had the honor too damn long," Mendocino County Sheriff Tony Craver said. He cheered Kern's seizure of the pot-growing crown, saying he's sick of Mendocino's national reputation as a dope grower's haven. "Sure we have a marijuana problem here, but this goes to show that the problem is everywhere. And I keep saying over and over that it's a bigger problem than only law enforcement can handle," Craver said. Kern's eclipse of Mendocino and other traditionally top marijuana-producing counties on the North Coast underscores a dramatic shift in illicit pot production that continues statewide, Lockyer said. He detailed the shift in a lengthy statement he issued Monday during a news conference in the Central Valley town of Madera. Lockyer said a record 345,000 pot plants, worth an estimated $1.3 billion, were uncovered statewide, but for the first time more than half of the plants were found growing not on the North Coast but in Central Valley and Sierra foothill counties. Unlike the traditional "owner-operated small business gardens with a few hundred plants" typically found in Mendocino and other coastal counties, Lockyer said state and local agents this year routinely came across marijuana plantations with 8,000 to 15,000 plants in Kern and other Central Valley counties. Lockyer said there's mounting evidence that Mexican drug cartels are behind the big dope-growing operations. "They utilize a corporate approach with different branches for production and distribution," he said. He said the Mexican drug cartels are using profits from widespread methamphetamine production to finance the more profitable marijuana-growing operations. "These marijuana operations are so lucrative that a large organization can lose 15 of its 20 garden sites and still make a large profit," he said. He said the reason is the continuing high demand for marijuana and the price users are willing to pay. "Just to show the value of marijuana, gold currently sells for about $4,400 a pound, just a bit more than the $4,000 per pound that is commonly paid for California-grown marijuana," Lockyer said. He disagreed with critics who say the state's anti-pot efforts are ineffective because they drive marijuana prices up, attracting commercial-style growers. He conceded that when the supply is down, the price goes up on the street but said that is good. "We hope that the price continues to rise so as to discourage many children and teens from using the drug," he said. Lockyer admitted he has no reliable estimate of how much marijuana is grown or sold. "But we believe that our CAMP program, combined with year-round narcotics efforts by law enforcement agencies throughout California, has had an effect on the amount that is available," he said. Kern County sheriff's spokesman Hal Chealander said local law enforcement isn't enamored with the dubious distinction that more marijuana was uncovered in Kern County this year than anywhere else. "We're very troubled by the size of the operations we've found. These are mega-production facilities. We're not talking mom-and-pop operations," he said. Craver said he's happy Mendocino is, for now anyway, rid of a chronically embarrassing distinction. "I guess I could be cute and urge our growers to try harder to regain our title, but no thanks. Any easing of the problem here is welcomed," he said. - --- MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager