Pubdate: Wed, 02 Aug 2000 Source: Huntsville Times (AL) Copyright: 2000 The Huntsville Times Contact: P.O. Box 1487, Huntsville, AL 35807 Fax: (256) 532-4213 Website: http://www.al.com/huntsville/news.html Forum: http://www.al.com/forums/huntsville/ NO RELIEF FROM DRUGS Alabama's drought won't dry up the demand for marijuana, and could make things worse If you believe every cloud has a silver lining, you may find a bright spot in Alabama's continuing lack of rain. While the drought has legal cash-crop farmers tearing their hair out, it has also devastated the state's top illegal harvest: marijuana. Alabama Bureau of Investigation officials, who monitor such things, say pot growers are having a more difficult time than cotton farmers in keeping their crops thriving and their books in the black. One reason: Time-honored tools like irrigation aren't viable options for marijuana cultivators. As one drug agent noted, "It looks kind of suspicious (for) someone (to be) hauling buckets off in the middle of the woods." But before we get giddy about nature taking a bite out of crime, consider this: It's one thing to buy a cheap bag that Cousin Joe grew in his hidden pot patch; it's another to buy a more expensive bag from a big-city gang member who sees the scarcity of local product as a marketing opportunity. The truth is that someone is growing marijuana somewhere, and it will find its way here - and with it could come a vicious criminal presence. Sure, beleaguered drug agents will stop some of it. But most of it will get through, just as it does now - with marijuana and all sorts of other drugs. The sad facts are that we can write tougher laws, send more people to jail, put more agents on the streets and devise any number of "Just Say No" campaigns - and we will continue to blow smoke at the drug problem. It's going to take more extensive rehabilitation programs for drug users and, more importantly, a committed and expensive effort to attack the root causes of drug abuse before we make significant progress. So don't think dry weather is going to dry up demand for marijuana. The drought will, at best, cause pot smokers temporary inconvenience. At worst, it will lure an even worse element of entrepreneurs. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake