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
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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.
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MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager