Pubdate: Tue, 20 Nov 2007
Source: News-Press (Fort Myers, FL)
Copyright: 2007 The News-Press
Contact:  http://www.news-press.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1133
Author: Bill McCollum
Note: Bill McCollum is attorney general of Florida.
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/opinion.htm (Opinion)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Marijuana)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/people/Bill+McCollum

NEW POTENT MARIJUANA NO JOKE

Statistics show marijuana is the most popular illegal drug in 
America, with more than half of our young adults between the ages of 
19-28 saying they have used it. But today's marijuana is no Woodstock 
rerun; it's potent and dangerous.

In the 1960s and '70's, the average THC content (THC produces the 
high and causes physiological problems) in marijuana was 
approximately 4 percent. The THC level in the hydroponic marijuana 
grown today in Florida has tested up to 30 percent, and the level 
continues to rise through plant cloning by growers. This increase in 
potency has not only increased the dangerous physical effects of the 
drug, but also the addictive nature of marijuana use. Experts believe 
that the rate of addiction among daily marijuana users is now higher 
than that among daily alcohol drinkers.

Hydroponic marijuana in some areas actually trades ounce for ounce 
with cocaine. The drug is so lucrative that grow houses are popping 
up in some of the most affluent neighborhoods. These "Marijuana 
McMansions" are home to multimillion-dollar growing operations. 
Florida had the second highest number of grow-house seizures in the 
country in 2006.

One such operation was recently discovered and shut down in North 
Florida, where an organized ring had been using seven houses to grow 
and distribute large quantities of marijuana. These grow houses 
produced 100 pounds of marijuana per month, and traffickers were 
netting profits of nearly half a million dollars a year. The Attorney 
General's Office of Statewide Prosecution is prosecuting this case 
and working with law enforcement to pursue other operations 
throughout the state.

Grow houses are often the targets of other violent crimes, including 
home invasions and robberies carried out by rival criminal groups, as 
the plants alone are worth tens of thousands of dollars. Marijuana is 
no longer grown and traded by amateurs -- it is being trafficked by 
organized and dangerous rings of criminals.

Taking this threat seriously, our state must pass tougher laws to 
crack down on these sophisticated growing operations. I am supporting 
legislation sponsored by state Sen. Steve Oelrich, R-Gainesville, and 
state Rep. Nick Thompson, R-Fort Myers, that lowers from 300 plants 
to 25 plants the standard for creating a presumption that a person is 
intending to distribute for profit. The bill also creates a new 
penalty for growers who own a house for the purpose of cultivating 
marijuana, as well as a new penalty for people who live in or are the 
caretakers of marijuana grow houses.

It is our responsibility to not only educate our residents, 
especially those who are younger and may be more susceptible to drug 
use, about highly potent marijuana, but also to implement new 
strategies for curbing the spread of this new and dangerous threat.
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