Why bother?

Lots of news reports here about a cannabis 'drought'. The dry patch seems to have been brought on by a series of co-odinated raids by police around the country targeting so-called 'pot farms'. These are indoor house-based growing areas (usually in a loft or basement) where pokey skunk is grown under lights. So some parts of the UK are reporting skunk as being difficult to get hold of.

Actually there's nothing new in indoor cultivation of puff, it's been going on for years. People usually get caught because their domestic consumption of electricity reaches industrial levels on account of the powerful lights needed to force growth. When I worked in Wales growers were much wilier. Those of you who know Wales will remember that much of it is covered in forest. So the growers would go off to a remote forest site and plant a patch of cannabis then go away again, returning occasionally to check on the crop. The only way the site could be spotted was from the air so it was a low risk/high return method of cultivation.

However, interdiction by the enforcement agencies (interdiction? Am I becoming an American?) meant that more growers were forced inside and to make best use of limited room began to turn to stronger, higher yield plants producing skunk. So now instead of smoking bright, breezy, crackly grass everyone gets off on the more powerful skunk. With consequent raised risks of mental health problems or an overwhelming desire to lie down. A lot.

This is what happens when there is a cannabis drought.

1. Some people will turn to whatever's available, i.e. class A's such as heroin or crack.
2. Much more sophiosticated and nastier dealers will step in to meet the demand created by shopping your local neighbourhood social grower/dealer.
3. Everyone gets drunk instead. Alcohol = more violence whereas the oh-be-joyful usually means sitting around stoned and happy.
4. People who self-medicate medical conditions such as MS suffer, especially if there is no medical, prescription cannabis available either.

Need I go on?

What you may ask is the alternative? Well one answer could be manageed dealing zones or coffee shops on the dutch lines. Never happen here though.

Of course there are risks associated with any drug and I'm certainly not advocating the use of this or any other drug - but come on. When will governements and the police do risk assessments on the consequences of their actions?