Pubdate: Tue, 20 Nov 2007
Source: Orange County Register, The (CA)
Copyright: 2007 The Orange County Register
Contact:  http://www.ocregister.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/321
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?115 (Cannabis - California)
Cited: http://www.usdoj.gov/ndic/pubs21/21137/index.htm (National 
Drug Threat Assessment 2007)

ALL THOSE INDOOR POT FARMS

Federal Campaign Drives Growers Indoors

No doubt without intending to, a U.S. Justice Department report on 
the ambitious federal marijuana plant eradication program (called 
Campaign Against Marijuana Planting or CAMP in California), documents 
that the campaign has not only failed to make much of a dent in the 
marijuana marketplace, it has had the perverse effect of driving 
producers to indoor sites, notably to suburban homes.

In other words, if one of your neighbors (probably in a rented house) 
has converted the place to an indoor marijuana plantation, guarded by 
somewhat unsavory-looking characters who look as if they might be 
packing heat and attracting a number of disreputable-looking 
hangers-on, you can thank the state and federal governments. Your tax 
dollars at work.

Here's how the National Drug Threat Assessment from the National Drug 
Intelligence Center of the Justice Department put it:

"Federal, state, and local law enforcement reporting indicates that 
vigorous outdoor cannabis eradication efforts have caused major 
marijuana producers, particularly Caucasian groups, to relocate 
indoors, even in leading outdoor grow states such as California and 
Tennessee." The report goes on to say that one side effect of 
shifting to indoor sites is that "The groups will produce 
higher-potency marijuana year-round, allowing for exponential 
increase in profits derived."

While aggressive eradication activities have had some impact, 
especially in driving production to the suburbs, the report makes 
clear that it hasn't done much to reduce overall production. While 
the feds are seizing record numbers of plants, production operations 
in California (mostly Northern) "are extensive, widespread, becoming 
more sophisticated, and increasing in size." Meanwhile, "marijuana 
availability is widespread."

So the drug warriors don't reduce availability, but they push growers 
into your neighborhood and increase their profitability. Is that what 
the drug war was intended to do?
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom