Toxic waste from U.S. pot farms alarms experts

[Rollo]

The downside of the pot industry...

Toxic waste from U.S. pot farms alarms experts

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.

Ecologist Mourad Gabriel, who documents the issue for the Forest Service as well as other state, local and federal law enforcement agencies, estimates California's forests hold 41 times more solid fertilizers and 80 times more liquid pesticides than Forest Service investigators found in 2013.

[Rollo]

2. When somebody buys a lid at the local dispensary, do they check to make sure it was grown legally?

More from article:

Use of toxics has grown over the past three to four years, and chemicals have been found at sites in Oregon and Washington as well, said Chris Boehm, the Forest Service's assistant director for enforcement and investigation. "In the last couple years we've lost a lot of the ground we had picked up in eradicating and cleaning up the new sites we find."

And Oregon apparently is not the paragon of legal pot growing some might think:

Use of toxics has grown over the past three to four years, and chemicals have been found at sites in Oregon and Washington as well, said Chris Boehm, the Forest Service's assistant director for enforcement and investigation. "In the last couple years we've lost a lot of the ground we had picked up in eradicating and cleaning up the new sites we find."

And legalization doesn't work for those who prefer to operate illegally even in a state where it's legal:

As California moves to license growers, officials plan to regulate the use of chemicals. But rules can only be enforced against those who cultivate pot legally. "There are a lot of incentives for continuing to grow illegally," said Washington Fish and Wildlife Deputy Chief Mike Cenci, citing growers' distaste for taxes and red tape. "We've got 4,000 illegal grows in our county," said Keith Groves, a supervisor of Trinity County in Northern California. "I'll be happy if we can get 500 of them to become licensed."

.

[theaocp]

11. This whole OP is deliberately misleading.

The writer and poster either know or should know they are comparing illegal cannabis production and legal operations in states that have legalized. The fact they say, "industry" is designed to get people thinking about the legal states and nothing else. Pure propaganda from the outset.

[Rollo]

15. I used a blanket term, "industry", to include both legal and illegal growers...

So sue me.


.

[Rollo]

28. It bears repeating

"We've got 4,000 illegal grows in our county," said Keith Groves, a supervisor of Trinity County in Northern California. "I'll be happy if we can get 500 of them to become licensed."

From article linked in the OP

[Flaleftist]

4. I know a solution to this

Can anyone guess?

[Flaleftist]

6. Nope

Oh wait.....yes, that was it.

[ck4829]

7. Put an oil rig on the farm?

Then all of the sudden "toxic waste!" will become "toxic waste? That's just something liberals made up because they hate business!"

[yardwork]

8. Another good argument for legalization and regulation.

[Rollo]

9. Except according the forest service, legalization and regulation hasn't solved the problem...

Because some growers want to circumvent the regulations and taxes. And they've had years of experience doing just that. Evidently they don't care about the environment if it cuts into their profits.

[Egnever]

10. legalization Should drive them out.

Currently there is still a market for their product in the states where it is still illegal. They aren't selling to the dispensaries.

[theaocp]

12. So, feel free to post some ideas for fixing their woes

that doesn't give any more functionality to the black market.

[Weekend Warrior]

14. I briefly hit on that in post 13. nt.

[theaocp]

16. While I agree completely

this is just too obvious. I'm hoping for something that scared, irrational Muricans would think about, so the ONLY path forward is regulated recreational/medicinal use.

[Weekend Warrior]

19. I think we need to go after the average American.

Not the irrational American.

http://www.gallup.com/poll/196550/support-legal-marijuana.aspx

We are already at the tipping point and changes are a happening.

[theaocp]

21. lol, I equate them if they're against regulated cannabis n/t

[B2G]

17. Remember when moonshining was a huge thing?

Not so much anymore because alcohol was legalized.

[Rollo]

27. Ever heard of cigarette smuggling?

It goes on today by people trying to gain excess profits by avoiding the taxes.

And legalization of pot won't fix this, because it will be done on a state by state basis, with varying tariffs and regulations. That's what drives cigarette smuggling and I figure it will also drive pot smuggling no matter how legal and regulated it becomes.

Cities, counties, and states are seeing dollar signs with the pot legalization trend... and their greed will keep on driving the illegal grows and sales.

[Warren DeMontague]

24. What other laws do you consider ineffective if they don't stop people 100% from breaking them?

[Weekend Warrior]

13. The environment, consumers and citizens will be hurt without fifty state legalization.

The scope of legalization will also have to be similar across states. It must be recreational. It's the only way to stop the damage being done.

[Rollo]

18. It may help, but...

...there likely will still be illegal growers who refuse to get licensed and pay taxes. They know how to get away with this undetected until they've harvested their crop and made their $$$.

It will take, perhaps, awareness on the part of consumers to refuse to buy unlabeled/certified/taxed pot, as well as, I hate to say, concerted law enforcement.

Of course it's all moot if Sessions has his way and shuts it all down.

[Weekend Warrior]

20. That's what law enforcement is for.

That's what agencies are for.

It's not a solid argument.

Once their consumer base dries up they will struggle.

[Rollo]

29. Maybe, but I repeat

"There are a lot of incentives for continuing to grow illegally," said Washington Fish and Wildlife Deputy Chief Mike Cenci, citing growers' distaste for taxes and red tape.

Let me ask some of those who have got their panties in a twist over this thread:

If you were hiking in a national forest, and came across what is obviously an illegal commercial grow operation, would you:

1) Get the hell out of there and report it to the Forest Service

2) Get out of there and keep your mouth shut

3) Gather some samples and tell all your friends

4) Contact the grower(s) and try to buy at a discount

?

[Rollo]

34. Good for you

[Calculating]

22. Op needs rewording

It's not a downside of the pot industry, it's a downside of illegal unregistered grows. Only more legalization will fix this kind of stuff. Right now, there's still a ton of states where weed isn't legal, and they're the customers buying the black market stuff from Cali. I fully believe that law enforcement should continue to raid and shut down illegal grows in legal states to stop these problems. No excuse to do things illegally in a state where you can legally grow in a responsible way.

[Expecting Rain]

33. Not Cali.

Please stop.

[Rollo]

35. You offer a simplistic solution for a complex problem.