illegal-marijuana-grows

Illegal Grows Overrun a County in California

This letter was sent by a local activist to her neighbors regarding the proliferation of illegal marijuana grows in San Bernardino, a California county.

She wrote to PopPot: “The illegal marijuana grows in San Bernardino County are trashing our environment, overusing our limited water supplies, leaching dangerous chemicals into the soil, terrorizing residents with guard dogs, and bringing in a criminal element to our once peaceful desert community that is seriously impacting quality of life and the safety of residents.”

Subject: Speak up and Demand Action against the Illegal Marijuana Grows Destroying our Community

Good Afternoon,

The illegal marijuana farm epidemic in our community has reached a fever pitch. As of yesterday, there were 1,037 known illegal grows in San Bernardino County, per the Sheriff’s Marijuana Enforcement Team (MET). These illegal grows must be eradicated for good! I have created an excel spreadsheet with the names, emails, and organizations for all people who have a vested interest (or should!) regarding this problem. Please use this list to email our Supervisors, politicians, local water districts, code enforcement, etc. and demand greater action through the following ideas:

Increase law enforcement numbers to bust these grows.
Pressure the water districts to shut off water to illegal grows – this directive would come from the Board of Supervisors.
Demand that code enforcement actually fine illegal grows for their countless code violations (ie. unpermitted trailers, fences, grading, fire hazards, etc.)

Amend Proposition 64 to make illegal grows a felony again, not just a misdemeanor (like every other state in the country that has legalized marijuana).

Declare a state of emergency (Supervisors are responsible for this) to try and get additional support from the State to combat this epidemic.

During these scorching summer months, these illegal grows are using HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS of gallons of water. I did some basic multiplication and the numbers are astounding:

1,037 illegal grows X 1,000 cannabis plants (on average at each grow site per Sheriff’s MET) X 6 gallons of water needed for each plant per day X 31 days in July = 192,882,000 gallons of water used in only 1 month at illegal marijuana farms in SB County!!!

While the Governor has asked California residents to decrease water consumption by 15%, illegal marijuana grows consume millions of gallons of water every day. This is beyond unethical and immoral, it is downright, scary! When there is no water left in California, what will become of our communities, our food sources, our wildlife?

If you have not already done so, please watch and SHARE these videos that have been published on YouTube to highlight the problem in our community:

Illegal Marijuana Cultivation problem in 29 Palms California [19 pot farms within 1 mile!]

https://youtu.be/Mzk6o4WWcIs


IN PLAIN VIEW [MASSIVE illegal pot-farm in the CENTER of 29 Palms, CA]

https://youtu.be/WFZ3G9cEA5s


REPORT: Cathedral City Councilwoman RITA LAMB’s THIRD ILLEGAL POT-FARM FOUND in San Bernardino Co.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebfCspFkt3g


Illegal pot cultivation house in 29 palms set on FIRE after being raided by Sheriff’s Department

https://youtu.be/B4ftjcAqgbI


NIGHTVISION What goes on at night during the illegal marijuana epidemic in Joshua Tree California

https://youtu.be/zEHczqwk9rI

Additionally, another concerned resident in Siskiyou County in Northern California has created two excellent presentations about the impact of illegal marijuana farms on our environment and water. The problems they face with illegal marijuana grows in Siskiyou County are the same in San Bernardino County. I encourage you to watch and share these videos as well:

Environmental Consequences – Organized Crime in Siskiyou County –

https://youtu.be/TJkxBvJI69A


Siskiyou County California Water vs Organized Crime –

https://youtu.be/dokBnceK4hA

Also, if you are on Facebook, please join this page where illegal grows and news about them in our community are posted regularly:

Caught on Camera 29 Palms Facebook page:

Together, we, the concerned residents of SB County can pressure our Board of Supervisors, Assemblymen, Senator, and water districts to take real action. Please email your political representatives about your frustrations, fears, concerns, and personal testimonials about how illegal marijuana grows are negatively impacting you and your family. They must hear from all of us to fully grasp the scope of this problem. Also, feel free to forward this blog post to others who are ready to fight to protect our communities. Together we will eradicate illegal marijuana grows from our desert!

 

Editors Note: We encourage citizens of all states, all counties to share this with your local representatives. We need to inform all decision makers of the unintended consquences of legalizing an illicit drug.