"Illegal growers won't be ignored" By Tom Allman

Over the past 8 months, I have received an increasing number of anonymous letters and e-mails regarding commercial marijuana growers and the abusive attitudes they exhibit to their neighbors. These "in-your face" growers bully their way into usually quiet neighborhoods -- urban and rural. There are 4th and 5th generation Mendocino County residents who fear for their property and lives and are planning to move.

The law abiding residents of our county have a right to be free from this kind of abuse. A recent letter to the editor (Feb. 5 Mendocino County Observer) is a chilling but vivid example of what is happening. The fact that we have growers with no pride of ownership in our County is a personal concern of mine and apparently to the letter writers as well. I am very appreciative of the citizens who remind us how illegal growing negatively affects our County:

Effects such as:

Environmental damage to hillsides, trees and watersheds;

Theft of water or waste of water;

Illegal use of pesticides and herbicides;

The killing and maiming of wildlife;

The false economy produced by absentee growers.

The anonymous letters I receive each week beg for a more efficient way to enforce existing laws and arrest abusive growers. Few if any letters describe legitimate medical marijuana grows.

This year I have focused the resources of my office on two types of illegal growers: first-time growers who believe they can legally grow marijuana here for
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any reason; and, the transient growers who live in our county from April until October then leave. I have one message for these people who thumb their noses at our laws and our citizens: we will find you, we will arrest you, we will eradicate your plants and seize your assets, and we will seek your prosecution to the fullest extent of the law.

Our nation, our state and our county are in the midst of a financial crisis. Law enforcement is not immune. Our resources are stretched thin, and it may seem that now is a good time to exploit these perceived weaknesses. Illegal growers will find out soon that our criminal justice system is alive and well. Over 240 commercials growers were arrested in 2008, and over 364,000 plants were eradicated.

Legitimate Medical Marijuana grows were left alone. Our deputies entered 154 medical gardens last year and left without eradicating a single plant because these patients were growing within the boundaries of the law and produced the necessary documentation upon request.

I beg to disagree with you,mr Allman.