Pubdate: Sun, 12 Nov 2006 Source: Observer, The (UK) Copyright: 2006 The Observer Contact: http://www.observer.co.uk/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/315 Author: Jamie Doward Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?207 (Cannabis - United Kingdom) DEALERS GET DESPERATE AS DRUG SUPPLY DRIES UP Drug dealers are under pressure from a nationwide police blitz on cannabis farms. The clampdown, which has targeted farms producing potent 'skunk', has seen prices almost double in some cities, according to Drugscope, the drugs awareness charity, which calculates street values based on interviews with dealers. The latest issue of the charity's magazine, Druglink, has found some dealers so desperate to replace their supplies they are offering customers cash for the use of a spare room in which to grow the drug. 'Just two months ago you could buy in bulk, say three kilos. Now you're lucky to find more than a half kilo for sale,' said one dealer. In Birmingham, prices are said to have doubled in the past two months with the price of a kilo of cannabis skunk rising from UKP1,000 to between UKP1,800 and UKP2,000. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake