Drug Gangs Taking Over US Public Lands

[+Gamaliel]

Drug Gangs Taking Over US Public Lands

Some Using Armed Guards, Trip Wires To Safeguard Plots

SEQUOIA NATIONAL FOREST, Calif. -- Not far from Yosemite's waterfalls and in the middle of California's redwood forests, Mexican drug gangs are quietly commandeering U.S. public land to grow millions of marijuana plants and using smuggled immigrants to cultivate them.

 

Pot has been grown on public lands for decades, but Mexican traffickers have taken it to a whole new level: using armed guards and trip wires to safeguard sprawling plots that in some cases contain tens of thousands of plants offering a potential yield of more than 30 tons of pot a year.

 

All I thought we had to worry about was finding the occasional meth lab while caching.

[+TheAlabamaRambler]

Drug Gangs Taking Over US Public Lands

Some Using Armed Guards, Trip Wires To Safeguard Plots

SEQUOIA NATIONAL FOREST, Calif. -- Not far from Yosemite's waterfalls and in the middle of California's redwood forests, Mexican drug gangs are quietly commandeering U.S. public land to grow millions of marijuana plants and using smuggled immigrants to cultivate them.

 

Pot has been grown on public lands for decades, but Mexican traffickers have taken it to a whole new level: using armed guards and trip wires to safeguard sprawling plots that in some cases contain tens of thousands of plants offering a potential yield of more than 30 tons of pot a year.

 

All I thought we had to worry about was finding the occasional meth lab while caching.

Legalize pot and you put a stop to this overnight, and end the ridiculous spending on this unwinnable 'war on drugs'.

 

I'm not making a commentary on whether pot is good or bad, I'm just saying that you have this kind of situation only because it's illegal. It seems that we learned nothing from Prohibition.

 

In the meantime be careful out there.

[+Kit Fox]

I turned in this site to my local Marijuana Enforcement Team, when I encountered evidence of a grow near Roger's Camp.

 

Tuesday 11/17/09, My team leader flew over the coordinates today to scope out the grow. It has been harvested by the crooks already. He has marked it to check next season. The eradication team has removed plants from that canyon in past years. I would still be very cautious in that area, especially nearing spring. That goes for anytime you are in the forest and come across irrigation lines and clandestine camps. We find evidence of weapons in nearly every marijuana camp we encounter.

Edited March 1, 2010 by Kit Fox

[+Castle Mischief]

This has what to do with geocaching...?

[GOF and Bacall]

Drug Gangs Taking Over US Public Lands

Some Using Armed Guards, Trip Wires To Safeguard Plots

SEQUOIA NATIONAL FOREST, Calif. -- Not far from Yosemite's waterfalls and in the middle of California's redwood forests, Mexican drug gangs are quietly commandeering U.S. public land to grow millions of marijuana plants and using smuggled immigrants to cultivate them.

 

Pot has been grown on public lands for decades, but Mexican traffickers have taken it to a whole new level: using armed guards and trip wires to safeguard sprawling plots that in some cases contain tens of thousands of plants offering a potential yield of more than 30 tons of pot a year.

 

All I thought we had to worry about was finding the occasional meth lab while caching.

Legalize pot and you put a stop to this overnight, and end the ridiculous spending on this unwinnable 'war on drugs'.

 

I'm not making a commentary on whether pot is good or bad, I'm just saying that you have this kind of situation only because it's illegal. It seems that we learned nothing from Prohibition.

 

In the meantime be careful out there.

 

Think of the impact on the federal and state budgets if instead of spending boatloads of money trying to stop it we got to collect taxes on it instead.

[+DragonsWest]

This has what to do with geocaching...?

 

Your next FTF may be behind a tripwire.

 

Aren't you reading?

[GOF and Bacall]

This has what to do with geocaching...?

 

It's just one more hazard we need to be aware of when we cache in out of the way places.

[+DragonsWest]

Drug Gangs Taking Over US Public Lands

Some Using Armed Guards, Trip Wires To Safeguard Plots

SEQUOIA NATIONAL FOREST, Calif. -- Not far from Yosemite's waterfalls and in the middle of California's redwood forests, Mexican drug gangs are quietly commandeering U.S. public land to grow millions of marijuana plants and using smuggled immigrants to cultivate them.

 

Pot has been grown on public lands for decades, but Mexican traffickers have taken it to a whole new level: using armed guards and trip wires to safeguard sprawling plots that in some cases contain tens of thousands of plants offering a potential yield of more than 30 tons of pot a year.

 

All I thought we had to worry about was finding the occasional meth lab while caching.

Legalize pot and you put a stop to this overnight, and end the ridiculous spending on this unwinnable 'war on drugs'.

 

I'm not making a commentary on whether pot is good or bad, I'm just saying that you have this kind of situation only because it's illegal. It seems that we learned nothing from Prohibition.

 

In the meantime be careful out there.

 

Think of the impact on the federal and state budgets if instead of spending boatloads of money trying to stop it we got to collect taxes on it instead.

 

I feel it's necessary to snip these tirades in the bud .. so

 

Consider Marijuana as a figurative Line int the Sand.

 

Legalise it and the line moves back to something else. Then something else. Where does the line stick? Meth? Heroin? LSD?

 

Before you bother to blurt out an answer, think it through.

[+Castle Mischief]

This has what to do with geocaching...?

 

Your next FTF may be behind a tripwire.

 

Aren't you reading?

 

I read. All I see is a soapbox waiting for somebody to climb on top of it and a potential 10-page thread that ends in a mod closing it for getting too far off-topic. There are many, many dangers that could be waiting for me between here and the next cache. I don't think we need a thread for each one.

[+Castle Mischief]

This has what to do with geocaching...?

 

It's just one more hazard we need to be aware of when we cache in out of the way places.

 

Next up, POINTY STICKS! They will get in YOUR EYE!

[+DragonsWest]

This has what to do with geocaching...?

 

It's just one more hazard we need to be aware of when we cache in out of the way places.

 

Next up, POINTY STICKS! They will get in YOUR EYE!

 

Careful around areas with poachers, they'll shoot first and ask questions later, too.

[+Castle Mischief]

Drug Gangs Taking Over US Public Lands

Some Using Armed Guards, Trip Wires To Safeguard Plots

SEQUOIA NATIONAL FOREST, Calif. -- Not far from Yosemite's waterfalls and in the middle of California's redwood forests, Mexican drug gangs are quietly commandeering U.S. public land to grow millions of marijuana plants and using smuggled immigrants to cultivate them.

 

Pot has been grown on public lands for decades, but Mexican traffickers have taken it to a whole new level: using armed guards and trip wires to safeguard sprawling plots that in some cases contain tens of thousands of plants offering a potential yield of more than 30 tons of pot a year.

 

All I thought we had to worry about was finding the occasional meth lab while caching.

Legalize pot and you put a stop to this overnight, and end the ridiculous spending on this unwinnable 'war on drugs'.

 

I'm not making a commentary on whether pot is good or bad, I'm just saying that you have this kind of situation only because it's illegal. It seems that we learned nothing from Prohibition.

 

In the meantime be careful out there.

 

Think of the impact on the federal and state budgets if instead of spending boatloads of money trying to stop it we got to collect taxes on it instead.

 

I feel it's necessary to snip these tirades in the bud .. so

 

Consider Marijuana as a figurative Line int the Sand.

 

Legalise it and the line moves back to something else. Then something else. Where does the line stick? Meth? Heroin? LSD?

 

Before you bother to blurt out an answer, think it through.

 

And in two posts we've drifted comepletely off the subject of geocaching to drug policy and political yadda yadda.

 

For the love of Pete, I hope this thread crawls into the pile of other similar threads in Off-Topic.

[+Castle Mischief]

This has what to do with geocaching...?

 

It's just one more hazard we need to be aware of when we cache in out of the way places.

 

Next up, POINTY STICKS! They will get in YOUR EYE!

 

Careful around areas with poachers, they'll shoot first and ask questions later, too.

 

The little-known danger of cliffs and their partner in crime... GRAVITY!

 

Rusty nails... the silent killer!

[+DragonsWest]

Drug Gangs Taking Over US Public Lands

Some Using Armed Guards, Trip Wires To Safeguard Plots

SEQUOIA NATIONAL FOREST, Calif. -- Not far from Yosemite's waterfalls and in the middle of California's redwood forests, Mexican drug gangs are quietly commandeering U.S. public land to grow millions of marijuana plants and using smuggled immigrants to cultivate them.

 

Pot has been grown on public lands for decades, but Mexican traffickers have taken it to a whole new level: using armed guards and trip wires to safeguard sprawling plots that in some cases contain tens of thousands of plants offering a potential yield of more than 30 tons of pot a year.

 

All I thought we had to worry about was finding the occasional meth lab while caching.

Legalize pot and you put a stop to this overnight, and end the ridiculous spending on this unwinnable 'war on drugs'.

 

I'm not making a commentary on whether pot is good or bad, I'm just saying that you have this kind of situation only because it's illegal. It seems that we learned nothing from Prohibition.

 

In the meantime be careful out there.

 

Think of the impact on the federal and state budgets if instead of spending boatloads of money trying to stop it we got to collect taxes on it instead.

 

I feel it's necessary to snip these tirades in the bud .. so

 

Consider Marijuana as a figurative Line int the Sand.

 

Legalise it and the line moves back to something else. Then something else. Where does the line stick? Meth? Heroin? LSD?

 

Before you bother to blurt out an answer, think it through.

 

And in two posts we've drifted comepletely off the subject of geocaching to drug policy and political yadda yadda.

 

For the love of Pete, I hope this thread crawls into the pile of other similar threads in Off-Topic.

But .. but .. but we hadn't even got to the point of discussing corporate interests in catering their drugs to the public for profits!

[GOF and Bacall]

This has what to do with geocaching...?

 

It's just one more hazard we need to be aware of when we cache in out of the way places.

 

Next up, POINTY STICKS! They will get in YOUR EYE!

 

Just like the topic of this thread pointy sticks have been discussed before and will be discussed again.

[GOF and Bacall]

Drug Gangs Taking Over US Public Lands

Some Using Armed Guards, Trip Wires To Safeguard Plots

SEQUOIA NATIONAL FOREST, Calif. -- Not far from Yosemite's waterfalls and in the middle of California's redwood forests, Mexican drug gangs are quietly commandeering U.S. public land to grow millions of marijuana plants and using smuggled immigrants to cultivate them.

 

Pot has been grown on public lands for decades, but Mexican traffickers have taken it to a whole new level: using armed guards and trip wires to safeguard sprawling plots that in some cases contain tens of thousands of plants offering a potential yield of more than 30 tons of pot a year.

 

All I thought we had to worry about was finding the occasional meth lab while caching.

Legalize pot and you put a stop to this overnight, and end the ridiculous spending on this unwinnable 'war on drugs'.

 

I'm not making a commentary on whether pot is good or bad, I'm just saying that you have this kind of situation only because it's illegal. It seems that we learned nothing from Prohibition.

 

In the meantime be careful out there.

 

Think of the impact on the federal and state budgets if instead of spending boatloads of money trying to stop it we got to collect taxes on it instead.

 

I feel it's necessary to snip these tirades in the bud .. so

 

Consider Marijuana as a figurative Line int the Sand.

 

Legalise it and the line moves back to something else. Then something else. Where does the line stick? Meth? Heroin? LSD?

 

Before you bother to blurt out an answer, think it through.

 

And in two posts we've drifted comepletely off the subject of geocaching to drug policy and political yadda yadda.

 

For the love of Pete, I hope this thread crawls into the pile of other similar threads in Off-Topic.

 

One just never knows where a conversation will go when one lets it off the leash.

[+DragonsWest]

Drug Gangs Taking Over US Public Lands

Some Using Armed Guards, Trip Wires To Safeguard Plots

SEQUOIA NATIONAL FOREST, Calif. -- Not far from Yosemite's waterfalls and in the middle of California's redwood forests, Mexican drug gangs are quietly commandeering U.S. public land to grow millions of marijuana plants and using smuggled immigrants to cultivate them.

 

Pot has been grown on public lands for decades, but Mexican traffickers have taken it to a whole new level: using armed guards and trip wires to safeguard sprawling plots that in some cases contain tens of thousands of plants offering a potential yield of more than 30 tons of pot a year.

 

All I thought we had to worry about was finding the occasional meth lab while caching.

Legalize pot and you put a stop to this overnight, and end the ridiculous spending on this unwinnable 'war on drugs'.

 

I'm not making a commentary on whether pot is good or bad, I'm just saying that you have this kind of situation only because it's illegal. It seems that we learned nothing from Prohibition.

 

In the meantime be careful out there.

 

Think of the impact on the federal and state budgets if instead of spending boatloads of money trying to stop it we got to collect taxes on it instead.

 

I feel it's necessary to snip these tirades in the bud .. so

 

Consider Marijuana as a figurative Line int the Sand.

 

Legalise it and the line moves back to something else. Then something else. Where does the line stick? Meth? Heroin? LSD?

 

Before you bother to blurt out an answer, think it through.

 

And in two posts we've drifted comepletely off the subject of geocaching to drug policy and political yadda yadda.

 

For the love of Pete, I hope this thread crawls into the pile of other similar threads in Off-Topic.

 

One just never knows where a conversation will go when one lets it off the leash.

 

Yes! What is it with people disregarding leash laws!??!

 

And stepping in poo left on the ground, too. Ugh. Nothing like having to go back into the brush and fine this stuff on the sole of my shoe when I get back out. Happened just last week.

[+t4e]

 

I feel it's necessary to snip these tirades in the bud .. so

 

Consider Marijuana as a figurative Line int the Sand.

 

Legalise it and the line moves back to something else. Then something else. Where does the line stick? Meth? Heroin? LSD?

 

Before you bother to blurt out an answer, think it through.

 

Netherlands has managed to keep the "line" in the sand from moving quite successfully for many years

[+Castle Mischief]

This has what to do with geocaching...?

 

It's just one more hazard we need to be aware of when we cache in out of the way places.

 

Next up, POINTY STICKS! They will get in YOUR EYE!

 

Just like the topic of this thread pointy sticks have been discussed before and will be discussed again.

 

Most pointy stick threads don't come with the added bonus of political wagga wagga blah blah blah.

[+Castle Mischief]

 

I feel it's necessary to snip these tirades in the bud .. so

 

Consider Marijuana as a figurative Line int the Sand.

 

Legalise it and the line moves back to something else. Then something else. Where does the line stick? Meth? Heroin? LSD?

 

Before you bother to blurt out an answer, think it through.

 

Netherlands has managed to keep the "line" in the sand from moving quite successfully for many years

 

I saw some sand while geocaching once. Hey! Look at me, I'm topical!

 

Okay, I've griped enough. Have fun, I'm headed home.

[+timm47d]

This has what to do with geocaching...?

We'll its certainly a safety issue. These guys are very serious and you could end up hurt or dead if you stumble on in on the wrong area.

[knowschad]

Before asking why this thread should have been started in Geocaching Topics, I'd first like to know why it was on the news? This has been a serious problem, particularily in the West Coast states, for years now, as Kit Fox' post indicates. That doesn't make it any less serious, but it is something that those that live in those areas are already well aware of.

[+DragonsWest]

 

I feel it's necessary to snip these tirades in the bud .. so

 

Consider Marijuana as a figurative Line int the Sand.

 

Legalise it and the line moves back to something else. Then something else. Where does the line stick? Meth? Heroin? LSD?

 

Before you bother to blurt out an answer, think it through.

 

Netherlands has managed to keep the "line" in the sand from moving quite successfully for many years

 

Legal to use, yes. But still illegal to grow. The authorities rarely pursue the growers. Wholesale production and movement of drugs in the Netherlands is still outlawed. The use of small amounts is permitted, but that's the limit of their tolerance.

[+t4e]

Before asking why this thread should have been started in Geocaching Topics, I'd first like to know why it was on the news? This has been a serious problem, particularily in the West Coast states, for years now, as Kit Fox' post indicates. That doesn't make it any less serious, but it is something that those that live in those areas are already well aware of.

 

there was nothing worthy to report on so they had to dig up some old stuff to put on the front page

[+DragonsWest]

Before asking why this thread should have been started in Geocaching Topics, I'd first like to know why it was on the news? This has been a serious problem, particularily in the West Coast states, for years now, as Kit Fox' post indicates. That doesn't make it any less serious, but it is something that those that live in those areas are already well aware of.

 

Yep. While I was up in Yosemite Sam country, a few years ago, the US Forest Service was in the backcountry eradicating a farm some hikers found. Though there may be arms and traps present, those who are usually caught around such plantations are set up with everything they need to grow and are paid off upon delivery - they seldom know their contacts so do a spell in prison and are deported, while the gangs make the money.

 

It's as serious as it is to stumble across someone's moonshine operation in rural Tennessee.

[JohnX]

And stepping in poo left on the ground, too. Ugh. Nothing like having to go back into the brush and fine this stuff on the sole of my shoe when I get back out. Happened just last week.

Come on! Is it really necessary to repeatedly quote the entire thread? You can include only the relevant lines as I have just demonstrated. java script:emoticon('',%20'smid_15')

 

Note: I believe that was the first emoticon I ever used.

[GOF and Bacall]

And stepping in poo left on the ground, too. Ugh. Nothing like having to go back into the brush and fine this stuff on the sole of my shoe when I get back out. Happened just last week.

Come on! Is it really necessary to repeatedly quote the entire thread? You can include only the relevant lines as I have just demonstrated. java script:emoticon('',%20'smid_15')

 

Note: I believe that was the first emoticon I ever used.

 

You need practice with those emoticons. (and I didn't pair it down just to annoy you. )

[+Gamaliel]

Sorry if this was old news to some cachers, but it was new news to me. Not everyone is aware of this. If some people want to use this as an excuse to get on an off-topic soapbox, that doesn't make that fact any less true.

[knowschad]

Legalise it and the line moves back to something else. Then something else. Where does the line stick? Meth? Heroin? LSD?

Before you bother to blurt out an answer, think it through.

Ummmm... alcohol? Most of us grew up through the 70's and 80's and either smoked it, or knew people that did. Today we are working with them, caching with them, married to them, go to church with them. We also know that compared to alcohol, it is like comparing asprin to barbituates. Yet we make "asprin" illegal to the point of throwing kids in jail for it, yet we sell "barbituates" to anyone over 21 (18 in some places).

 

When you're out in the woods, watch out for those that stand to make a profit on pot, because there is a lot of money on pot, but that money is not allowed to be made legally, so they boobie trap their growing areas and carry weapons to protect their investments. But please don't confuse that danger with the danger of the pot itself.

[+Moonsouth]

[: )] All the more reason to geocache armed....which I believe is discussed in other threads.

[+DragonsWest]

[: )] All the more reason to geocache armed....which I believe is discussed in other threads.

 

Somehow I think all our volunteer trail maint and CITO goodwill would be for naught it one story made the news that a geocacher was firing a gun while in the pursuit of a cache.

 

The people who are appropriating public lands for their greed make no bones about such PR.

[+bittsen]

I feel it's necessary to snip these tirades in the bud .. so

 

Consider Marijuana as a figurative Line int the Sand.

 

Legalise it and the line moves back to something else. Then something else. Where does the line stick? Meth? Heroin? LSD?

 

Before you bother to blurt out an answer, think it through.

 

Hey, if we legalize murder then all those death row inmate costs go way down.

[+bflentje]

 

I feel it's necessary to snip these tirades in the bud .. so

 

Consider Marijuana as a figurative Line int the Sand.

 

Legalise it and the line moves back to something else. Then something else. Where does the line stick? Meth? Heroin? LSD?

 

Before you bother to blurt out an answer, think it through.

 

Netherlands has managed to keep the "line" in the sand from moving quite successfully for many years

 

I saw some sand while geocaching once. Hey! Look at me, I'm topical!

 

Okay, I've griped enough. Have fun, I'm headed home.

 

I am glad your employer has got their monies worth in geocaching posts..

[+Rick618]

This is nothing new, pot plants have been planted on Govt lands since at least the 70's and the threats of trip wires and guards as well. When I was a teenager riding around on 3-wheelers I was taken to a chain across a dirt road, it had no signs but had a square metal plate looking thing leaning up against a nearby tree. I was told it was a claymoore. We never went down that road.

 

Now, a bit of high tech add ons, you order a package from a country to the north, package is carried across the border and dropped, coordinates are taken, when cash is in hand, coordinates are given and now it's up to you to get to them.

 

Is it possible to stumble across a drop spot or planting area while geocaching? Sure it's possible. Same as it would be for a casual hiker or biker. Just be aware of your surroundings and if you find something that makes you uncomfortable, move on.

 

Depending on your neck of the woods finding discarded meth labs and supplies is a very real possibility, I've found spots that contained hundreds of discarded matches, sudafed blister packs, various chemical bottles, etc. that were near caches.

[+narcissa]

 

Legalize pot and you put a stop to this overnight, and end the ridiculous spending on this unwinnable 'war on drugs'.

 

I'm not making a commentary on whether pot is good or bad, I'm just saying that you have this kind of situation only because it's illegal. It seems that we learned nothing from Prohibition.

 

In the meantime be careful out there.

 

I am just chiming in to wholeheartedly agree with the above statement.

[+narcissa]

I feel it's necessary to snip these tirades in the bud .. so

 

Consider Marijuana as a figurative Line int the Sand.

 

Legalise it and the line moves back to something else. Then something else. Where does the line stick? Meth? Heroin? LSD?

 

Before you bother to blurt out an answer, think it through.

 

Clearly, outlawing these drugs has not stopped people from producing, selling, and using them for decades.

 

The illegality contributes to the problems associated with the drug trade by driving up the street prices and making it immensely profitable to get people hooked on drugs. Legalizing drugs and focusing efforts on education, prevention, and rehabilitation would be a devastating blow to organized crime.

 

Of course, there are many "legitimate" businesses (particularly in the US) who stand to lose if that were to happen, which is why drugs have been turned into a false morality issue, instead of just a social one. If people weren't routinely incarcerated for petty drug crimes, the private prison industry would suffer. And all the judges, police officers, and policy makers getting paid off by the prison industry would suffer as well.

 

Instead of being outraged at the idea of legal heroin, be outraged at people's lives being bought and sold like oil futures.

 

The war on drugs has very little to do with drugs.

[+TheAlabamaRambler]

This is nothing new, pot plants have been planted on Govt lands since at least the 70's and the threats of trip wires and guards as well. When I was a teenager riding around on 3-wheelers I was taken to a chain across a dirt road, it had no signs but had a square metal plate looking thing leaning up against a nearby tree. I was told it was a claymoore. We never went down that road.

 

I have no doubt that growers are armed and dangerous.

 

The part that I do wonder about is just how accurate and common these reports about trip-wire booby traps are.

 

Growers are operating out in the boonies because they need secrecy.

 

Shooting at people who stumble across your patch, however, does nothing but destroy any hope that you may have had for secrecy.

 

Yes, they are armed, but my guess is to defend themselves.

 

Rigging a shotgun wired to kill, maim or even just scare passerby, be they civilian or police, is entirely counter-productive.

 

I suspect, as with Rick's post above, that this has much more to do with urban legend and scare tactics that police are happy to use to justify their 'war on drugs'.

 

If you want to ensure that you will attract great attention, be pursued ruthlessly and go down for very hard time then rig a booby trap on your pot patch.

 

If you want to ensure that an area will achieve the full attention of every government agency for a very long time then rig a claymore mine.

 

Yeah, blow some folks up, that'll protect your crop!

 

We all know that it's just a short step from pot grower to random murderer, right?

 

Growers may be many things, but I doubt that stupid is one of them.

 

As I said in my earlier post, be careful out there, I am sure that it has happened, but don't drink the Kool-Aid and go around paranoid because of these fantasies!

Edited March 2, 2010 by TheAlabamaRambler

[aniyn]

[+TheAlabamaRambler]

GEOCACHING DOESN'T CARE ABOUT CHINLDREN

[+power69]

Drug Gangs Taking Over US Public Lands

Some Using Armed Guards, Trip Wires To Safeguard Plots

SEQUOIA NATIONAL FOREST, Calif. -- Not far from Yosemite's waterfalls and in the middle of California's redwood forests, Mexican drug gangs are quietly commandeering U.S. public land to grow millions of marijuana plants and using smuggled immigrants to cultivate them.

 

Pot has been grown on public lands for decades, but Mexican traffickers have taken it to a whole new level: using armed guards and trip wires to safeguard sprawling plots that in some cases contain tens of thousands of plants offering a potential yield of more than 30 tons of pot a year.

 

All I thought we had to worry about was finding the occasional meth lab while caching.

Legalize pot and you put a stop to this overnight, and end the ridiculous spending on this unwinnable 'war on drugs'..

and all the people this puts out of work?

[GOF and Bacall]

Drug Gangs Taking Over US Public Lands

Some Using Armed Guards, Trip Wires To Safeguard Plots

SEQUOIA NATIONAL FOREST, Calif. -- Not far from Yosemite's waterfalls and in the middle of California's redwood forests, Mexican drug gangs are quietly commandeering U.S. public land to grow millions of marijuana plants and using smuggled immigrants to cultivate them.

 

Pot has been grown on public lands for decades, but Mexican traffickers have taken it to a whole new level: using armed guards and trip wires to safeguard sprawling plots that in some cases contain tens of thousands of plants offering a potential yield of more than 30 tons of pot a year.

 

All I thought we had to worry about was finding the occasional meth lab while caching.

Legalize pot and you put a stop to this overnight, and end the ridiculous spending on this unwinnable 'war on drugs'..

and all the people this puts out of work?

 

The growers? The dealers? Their lawyers?

Or is it...

The DEA Agents? The FBI Agents? Their lawyers?

 

They will all still have jobs. As legit farmers or tax collectors. Or their lawyers.

[knowschad]

You spelled that wrong.

[+Castle Mischief]

Sorry if this was old news to some cachers, but it was new news to me. Not everyone is aware of this. If some people want to use this as an excuse to get on an off-topic soapbox, that doesn't make that fact any less true.

 

My apologies, I know you meant well.

[+Castle Mischief]

Hey, if somebody could just bring religion and health care reform into this topic I think I can declare "bingo".

[Clan Riffster]

Legalise it and the line moves back to something else.

Didn't Carlin point out that mother's milk is linked to heroin use?

Gotta agree with Ed on this one.

Having dealt with gobs of drunks and stoners, I'll take stoners every time.

Almost all the violence associated with marijuana exists only because it is illegal.

That is not true for drugs farther up the "sand" scale.

 

Hey, if we legalize murder then all those death row inmate costs go way down.

When I was in the civilian LEO academy a few decades ago, I was given a comparison to ponder:

In Florida, it costs roughly $25,000 a year to house a maximum security inmate.

It costs $5,500,000 to legally kill that same inmate.

I'm not sure how much those figures would change due to inflation.

It would seem that economics is in favor of ending the death penalty.

 

The part that I do wonder about is just how accurate and common these reports about trip-wire booby traps are.

I'm curious about that as well. In this country, there seems to be a feeling of acceptance among the general population regarding casual marijuana use. Maiming the occasional hiker would seem to reverse those feelings. Setting up improvised devices would not grant the growers the anonymity they crave. In fact, it would likely have the reverse effect, drawing all kinds of unwanted attention to their harvesting operations. In the course of my career, I've never found a marijuana crop that included booby traps, yet the media would have us believe this is the norm. Is our government creating a boogie man?

 

Hey, if somebody could just bring religion and health care reform into this topic I think I can declare "bingo".

The images of Jesus I've seen sure do make him out to look like a pothead.

If he had socialized medical care, perhaps he wouldn't appear so gaunt?

(good enough?)

[knowschad]

Hey, if somebody could just bring religion and health care reform into this topic I think I can declare "bingo".

Head on over to Off Topics.

 

Oops! You said THIS topic

Edited March 2, 2010 by knowschad

[+Castle Mischief]

Hey, if somebody could just bring religion and health care reform into this topic I think I can declare "bingo".

Head on over to Off Topics.

 

Not for all the gold ammo cans in the world, dog.

[+Castle Mischief]

The images of Jesus I've seen sure do make him out to look like a pothead.

If he had socialized medical care, perhaps he wouldn't appear so gaunt?

(good enough?)

 

BINGO! I have four across the middle row. If you can work in Nazis, spelling/grammer errors, baseless claims about how "X used to be better in the old days", throw in a Rockroll for good measure I think the forum software just might open a teleporter to the Secret Cow Level. Or an empty stretch off Route 66. Not sure which.

[+EscapeFromFlatland]

Man, I am so gonna harvest someone else's weed this summer when I go hike-n-cache.

[+bittsen]

When I was in the civilian LEO academy a few decades ago, I was given a comparison to ponder:

In Florida, it costs roughly $25,000 a year to house a maximum security inmate.

It costs $5,500,000 to legally kill that same inmate.

I'm not sure how much those figures would change due to inflation.

It would seem that economics is in favor of ending the death penalty.

 

I would love to see the logic behind that $5,500,000 claim.