Pubdate: Fri, 30 Nov 2001
Source: Medford Mail Tribune (OR)
Copyright: 2001 The Mail Tribune
Contact:  http://www.mailtribune.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/642

WHAT'S NEXT?

This falls under the category, "What won't the drug abuser abuse next?" The 
Associated Press reported earlier this week that some drug addicts have 
found a new way to fund their habit: selling wood they have stolen by 
chopping down ancient trees on both public and private timberland in 
Washington state forests.

If it's happening there, it's happening here - or will be soon. We have the 
prerequisite materials: large, valuable old-growth trees and a healthy 
population of methamphetamine users and producers, many of whom do their 
dirty deeds on federal forest land. There is a lot of that around here.

It's difficult for the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management to 
patrol the extensive wild lands of the West. The woods have become an 
attractive place for drug users, who feel they can hang out there with 
impunity.

It used to be that forest officials focused on theft by timber companies. 
Now, incredibly, the focus has shifted to drug addicts - the last focus 
you'd expect to see in the national forests.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom