Pubdate: Sun, 21 Sep 2003 Source: Ogdensburg Journal/Advance News (NY) Copyright: 2003 St. Lawrence County Newspapers Corp Contact: P.O. Box 409, Ogdensburg, New York 13669 Website: http://www.ogd.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/689 Note: Accepts LTEs by mail only! Must be signed w/phone# Author: Lee Monnet Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03.n1352.a03.html Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03.n1374.a06.html Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03.n1379.a12.html Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03.n1381.a02.html Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03.n1388.a03.html WILD HEMP To The Editor: When I read The Journal article "$30 to $80 Million in Pot" I was astonished at the numbers given (75,000 to 80,000 marijuana plants). Through telephone calls from Lisbon area residents it became evident that the pot was the infamous wild hemp that grows in a certain section in the Town of Lisbon. This growth of hemp has flourished for many years. One resident told me that a hemp rope factory once existed in that area, which explains the plants escape into the wild. In the 09/12/03 WDT article "Lack of Care Cut Crops Pot-ential" Sheriff Gary Jarvis said he could not determine if the plants had been sown where they were found or growing wild. Michael Hunter, Field Crop Extension Agent, with Cornell Cooperative Extension in Jefferson County said it looked like marijuana but really wasn't t. Steve Vandermark, Horticultural and Natural Resources Educator, with Cornell Cooperative Extension of St. Lawrence County said it was some sort of native hemp. Now this may seem rather humorous but, the cost to the taxpayers certainly is not funny. The manpower and equipment cost to uproot the perennial crop must be exorbitant. Eight law enforcement agencies and the National Guard participated. This raid and publicity seems rather coincidental when the sheriff's department and drug task force are facing budget cuts. In the 09/14/03 Kelly comments "$30. to $80. Million in Marijuana" the editor continues to write as though the crop was planted by marijuana growers. If the editor had given this incident any thought he would have realized that a crop of 75,000 to 80,000 plants could only be achieved by mechanized means unless a huge cartel was responsible and I'm sure area residents would have seen the activity if that were the case. In the event that law enforcement or the editor claims that psychoactive marijuana was being grown with the feral hemp I would contend that this is very unlikely as cross pollination of the two species would render the psychoactive marijuana worthless. Hemp typically has less than 1% of THC, the main active ingredient in marijuana which makes it psychoactive. Basically, if you smoked a car load of this hemp all you would end up with is a headache. From my perspective the editor and sheriff are trying to spare the drug task force and sheriff department from budget cuts by imparting erroneous information to the public. Lee Monnet - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin