Calif. pot growers a drain on water resources
By Rob Hotakainen, McClatchy
WASHINGTON — In drought-hit California, marijuana growers are feeling the heat, accused of using too much water for their thirsty plants and of polluting streams and rivers with their pesticides and fertilizers.
State officials say a pot plant sucks up an average of 6 gallons of water per day, worsening a shortage caused by one of the biggest droughts on record. They say the situation is particularly acute along California’s North Coast, where the growing pressure to irrigate pot threatens salmon and other fish.
California is also the most popular state for pot producers to grow crops in U.S. forests, accounting for 86 percent of the nearly 1 million plants federal officials seized in 2012.
The situation is a complicated one in California, which passed the nation’s first medical marijuana law in 1996, allowing people to possess and grow pot, even though the federal government still bans the drug.
marilize legaljuana!
Start with the age old want to close our borders for one thing. The Cartel types rape the land with ZERO regard for our streams, land and have zero regard for human life.
They behead people with no more regard than carving a pumpkin. These insects are a cancer in this state as well as other states. Until we tighten border security, count on more and more destruction of our lands. The O’Bummer and Mexican Cali-lib leaders want their vote….nothing more, so DON’T count on this government helping out to end the problem. They are encouraging the infestation!