WEAVERVILLE, Calif. (Reuters) - Pollution from illegal marijuana farms deep in California's national forests is far worse than >previously thought, and has turned thousands of acres into waste dumps so toxic that simply touching plants has landed law enforcement officers in the hospital.
The volume of banned or restricted pesticides and illegally applied fertilizers in the woods dwarfs estimates by the U.S. Forest Service in 2014, when a top enforcement official testified that the pollution was threatening forest land in California and other states.
California accounts for more than 90 percent of illegal U.S. marijuana farming, with much of it exported to other states from thousands of sites hidden deep inside forested federal land, and more on private property, law enforcement officials said. The state is still developing a licensing system for growers even though legal retail sales of the drug will begin next year, and medical use has been allowed for decades.
Hmm, no regulation on these pot farms because it's illegal to grow. It sounds like California has two options, either put tougher regulations on the pesticides and fertilizers used to grow Marijuana and piss off the farmers and gardeners in the process or they could just make growing Marijuana legal so people can grow it out in the open and the government can regulate it the same way they regulate other crops.
Legalizing would solve a ton of problems too like crime related to growing Marijuana, the pollution problem, health effects from smoking or eating marijuana that's had pesticide sprayed on it, more tax revenue for the state, etc. Seems pretty common sense but are politicians smart enough to actually do it? That's the big question.
Empty butane cans used to grow marijuana
Source: https://ca.news.yahoo.com/toxic-waste-u-pot-farms-alarms-experts-100944016.html
This does not make any sense the butane can is for use in production of concentrates and waxes, not for any part of the production of cannabis itself. I do like your posts however @wakeupnd.
My guess is they do all the growing, drying and processing all in the same location and don't haul out any evidence that could lead people to believe they were growing Marijuana.
They just need to legalize it and kill the black market
smoke weed every day
Well that is definitely unfortunate for the environment. We have to do better.
Great post.
Jut like people going blind or dying from bad batches of alcohol in the alcohol prohibition era. The producers can't be held accountable. You can't regulate them or sue them after the fact. The only product available is untraceable to who made it. That ends up being the only option customers have. Human health and the environment are both harmed in the bargain. The deep state profits from making drugs illegal so they don't want to end their dirty game.
Good points.
Once legalized we may see GMO marijuana!!
Then we can have certified organic labeling on Marijuana as well.
Very true.