Pubdate: Thu, 11 Dec 2014
Source: San Diego Union Tribune (CA)
Copyright: 2014 Union-Tribune Publishing Co.
Contact:  http://www.utsandiego.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/386
Note: Seldom prints LTEs from outside it's circulation area.
Author: Pauline Repard

POT FARMS, HASH OIL LABS POSE THREAT TO KIDS

DEA Says More Marijuana Grown Indoors, Exposing Children to Chemicals

SAN DIEGO - Indoor marijuana farms and hash oil labs in San Diego 
County are increasingly putting children's health and safety at risk, 
law enforcement officials said Wednesday as they released results of 
this year's pot-eradication efforts.

Authorities said the number of hash oil labs seized this year jumped 
to 54 from 30 the year before. Seven of them were found because they 
caught fire or exploded.

"These labs are a hazard to anyone, especially children," said Gary 
Hill, assistant special agent in charge of the Drug Enforcement 
Administration's San Diego office.

At a news conference at the DEA's office, Hill said narcotics agents 
have seized 131,818 marijuana plants in the county at 103 locations 
so far this year, compared to 120,084 plants at 113 locations in the 
same period last year.

Agents found 25 percent fewer marijuana plants on public lands such 
as state or national forests this year compared to 2013. The drought 
and lack of access to water may have caused a decline in outdoor 
farms, but agents also heavily targeted drug cartels that control the 
farms, Hill said.

Conversely, agents found 75 percent more marijuana plants on private 
land, including houses and hotels, accounting for the overall 
increase in the number of plants seized this year.

The number of arrests was up from last year, from 89 to 129, because 
of a focus on tracking down growers, not just raiding farms or labs 
when no one was there, DEA spokeswoman Amy Roderick said.

Of the hash oil labs and indoor marijuana farms found this year, 
children were present at 16 of them, Hill said.

He said there was a local case where a man had taught his 7-year-old 
daughter to water and trim his marijuana plants in the basement.

"The No. 1 threat to these children is the parents," Hill said. "They 
don't realize the hazards they expose their child to."

Marijuana growers leave pesticides, fertilizers, flammable butane 
cans and webs of extension cords where their children can get into them.

No children have been killed or injured at a drug lab in San Diego 
County this year that officials are aware of, Hill said.

But in 2013, a 1-year-old girl and her 2-year-old brother drowned in 
a La Mesa-area pool while their mother slept, under the influence of 
drugs. Her boyfriend was growing pot and making hash oil at the home, 
officials said. She was sentenced to four years in prison for child 
endangerment.

Deputy District Attorney Stacey McReynolds, also at the news 
conference, said illegal marijuana dispensary operators offer many 
pot-infused sweets such as chocolate bars, gummy candies and sodas 
packaged to attract children.

McReynolds said her office prosecuted nearly 100 cases of 
manufacturing hash oil this year.
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