Pubdate: Tue, 29 Mar 2016
Source: Yakima Herald-Republic (WA)
Copyright: 2016 Yakima Herald-Republic
Contact: http://special.yakimaherald.com/submit/
Website: http://www.yakimaherald.com/home/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/511

IS DECREASE IN POT GROWS IMPORTANT? YES, IT IS

The news seemed almost anachronistic in this era of relaxed 
ordinances and attitudes about marijuana. Last week, law enforcement 
officials announced that illegal marijuana production in Washington 
state has plummeted - even though large numbers of plants still 
flourish on the state's public lands.

But the cultivation, sale and consumption of marijuana are legal in 
this state, right? So why does it matter? It matters because 
not-so-savory elements are involved in the state's massive illegal 
grows, It also matters to maintain the structure of the state's 
marijuana legalization - given the flaws of a law that expands the 
availability of an intoxicating substance and runs afoul of federal law.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency reported that the number of plants 
seized in the state in 2014 was about one-sixth that of 2010, and the 
amount of processed marijuana seized in 2014 was one-quarter that of 
the 2010 figure. While good news on the enforcement front, there is 
still a lot of illegal pot out there: The 2014 haul of outdoor plants 
still totaled almost 50,000, and the processed pot amounted to 635 
pounds. But still, that's a welcome change from 2009, when a one-week 
period yielded 80,000 plants in Yakima County alone. The DEA didn't 
offer county breakouts for the 2014 figures.

A Washington State Patrol spokesman says improved cooperation among 
state, local and federal law enforcement - along with increased air 
surveillance - led to the decline. The extra scrutiny has made things 
too hot for those growing illegally, and they have moved to other states.

One other statistic points to the need for continued enforcement: the 
number of weapons seized. That figure dropped from 253 in 2010 to 28 
in 2014. A recent DEA and Department of Justice report concluded that 
the Mexican Sinaloa Cartel controls much of the activity in Eastern 
Washington, and other cartels take part in trafficking in Puget Sound 
port cities.

Along with public safety concerns, the black market can undermine the 
still-evolving legal marijuana industry in Washington state. In 2012 
we opposed Initiative 502, the pot-legalization ballot measure that 
voters approved with a 56 percent yes vote. But it is the law, and it 
appears to be hanging around for a while - with its manufacturing and 
sales controls along with its safety standards. A wide-open black 
market could unravel the legal pot setup and make a bad law worse. By 
the way, law enforcement officials say it's too early to tell if 
Initiative 502 has had an impact on the illegal grows.

There is still work to do. The millions of acres of public land and 
favorable climate help keep Washington in the top 10 nationally. But 
the decrease in acreage can only enhance the safety of our state, 
federal and tribal lands and the public at large.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom