Cannabis farms more than double in Gloucestershire
THE number of cannabis farms unearthed by police officers in Gloucestershire has rocketed.
The figure has more than doubled in the last three years.
New figures have revealed officers found 60 farms in 2011, compared to 38 in 2009 – a rise of 58 per cent.
Anywhere growing 10 or more plants is deemed a cannabis farm or factory by police.
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Officers acknowledged there has been an increase in the production of the Class B drug, but stressed not all cannabis farms are for commercial use.
Detective Superintendent Alex Drummond, who oversees intelligence for Gloucestershire Constabulary, said: "There has undoubtedly been an increase in cannabis growing, but it is important to put it into perspective.
"More than 10 plants is the definition of a farm, but 10 plants is not a huge amount and could still be for personal use.
"Domestic set-ups are more popular now because we have seen an increase in the quality of cannabis that can be produced at home and the fact the cost of hydroponics equipment has reduced significantly and is more readily available.
"We focus our efforts on targeting the big commercial enterprises though, those often involving large warehouses where hundreds of plants are being grown and where huge profits are being made.
"We have had a number of notable successes in these areas and will continue to take action to close down such operations and put people before the courts."
The statistics show the highest number of plants seized by officers from one premises in 2011 was 371, compared to 402 in 2009 and 345 in 2010.
The number of people facing prosecution in 2011 also went up with 37 people charged and 23 cautioned, compared to 29 and 16 respectively during 2009.
A national report by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO), which came out earlier this year, showed increasing numbers of farms were being found by police.
Over the last two years, forces across the country seized a total of 1,096,797 plants.
Comments
by SourAlienOG
Thursday, September 06 2012, 8:20PM
“@malcolmkyle16
Brilliant!”
by malcolmkyle16
Thursday, September 06 2012, 9:09AM
“We shall smoke to the end; we shall smoke in our homes; we shall smoke on the seas and oceans; we shall smoke with growing confidence, and growing strength, in the air; we shall defend God's gift whatever the cost may be; we shall smoke on the beaches; we shall smoke on collage grounds; we shall smoke in the fields and in the streets; we shall smoke in the hills. We shall never surrender our stash! and, even if, which I do not for a moment believe, we were to remain subjugated and persecuted by these evil corporations, then our enlightened friends beyond the seas would carry on the struggle, until in God's good time, the New World, with all its re-discovered hemp based power and might, steps forth to the rescue and the liberation of the Old. - Winstone Hempchill”
by stevea62
Wednesday, September 05 2012, 10:57PM
“Presumably these figures are being published to support the argument by police that their resources and our taxes are being wasted by being used in this way. If so then they have my full support. Stop this stupid war on our citizens and let's use the money fight some real crime rather than the pretend one instead.”
by PoetPeter
Wednesday, September 05 2012, 10:30PM
“We need to stop this stupid and unwinnable war against cannabis. It is causing far more harm to our communities than it prevents. If we had a properly regulated system of production and supply we'd have no more illegal cannabis farms, instead we'd have thousands of new jobs. We'd have no more dealers on the streets. Cannabis would be available to adults only through licensed outlets and we'd have some control over the THC and CBD content.
Doctors would be able to prescribe one of the safest and most effective medicines that has no serious side effects at all. At the moment the government has given GW Pharmaceuticals an illegal monopoly on cannabis so they make millions out of a medicine that you can grow in your greenhouse for virtually nothing.
If we introduced a legally regulated system we would solve nearly all the problems around cannabis. Science proves how much safer it is than tobacco, alcohol, prescription medicines and all other recreational drugs. If anyone does have a problem with it they could get help without having to confess to a crime.
CLEAR published independent, expert research last year which shows that a tax and regulate policy on cannabis would produce a net gain to the UK economy of up to £9.3 billion per annum.
It is a scandal that our government, our judges, our courts, our police and our newspapers keep misleading us about cannabis. Find out the truth for yourself and wake up to the lies you have been told..”
by SourAlienOG
Wednesday, September 05 2012, 10:25PM
“"By any of the major criteria of harm - mortality, morbidity, toxicity, addictiveness and relationship with crime - cannabis is less harmful than any of the other major illicit drugs, or than alcohol or tobacco."
- Report of the British Police Foundation March 2000
We need to take the control away from criminals. Bringing cannabis into a regulated market will see a decline in criminals selling it and children buying it. When a country regulates cannabis, drug use goes down and age of first use goes up. The amount of criminals selling it declines and taxation ensures a potential 9 billion per year. With out regulation, dealers sell to who ever what ever age, the only ID they need is money.
By handing the cannabis market to criminals, we are now in the worst case scenario, cannabis user or not.
"Complete prohibition of all chemical mind changers can be decreed, but cannot be enforced, and tends to create more evils than it cures."
- Aldous Huxley "Drugs That Shape Men's Minds," Saturday Evening Post 1958
Prohibition has always done the opposite of what its meant to. Its a failed experiment that is only kept alive by Greed, Cowardice, the power of the alcohol, tobacco and pharmaceutical companies and of course personal prejudices. It being illegal has nothing to do with Expert advice, scientific evidence or our health and safety. Just say No to prohibition, it causes more harm than cannabis ever could.
"The lesson has already been learned with alcohol prohibition. We tried to engineer an alcohol-free society and ended up with huge criminal enterprises, government corruption, children lured into organized crime and random violence that took the lives of countless innocent people."
- Kurt Schmoke, Mayor of Baltimore”