Toxic waste from U.S. pot farms is so bad that one touch can send officers to the hospital

Toxic waste from U.S. pot farms is so bad that one touch can send officers to the hospital

Illegal marijuana farms in California are causing a huge problem and it might not be the one you’re thinking of.

The pollution from these farms has turned thousands of acres into toxic dumps. It’s gotten so bad that simply touching the plants grown on that land has sent law enforcement officers to the hospital.

Illegal marijuana farmers in the United States use poisons (fertilizers and herbicides) that are restricted in America and it’s creating an extremely toxic environment, according to Ecologist Mourad Gabriel who has documented the epidemic for the Forest Service.

There have been five recorded instances of officers (and two instances of suspects) being sent to the Emergency Room after coming in contact with plants that have been treated with these substances. They exhibited symptoms of skin rashes, respiratory problems and other symptoms according to documents.

The chemicals used, including carbofuran and zinc phosphide, have killed sensitive species of plants and caused algae blooms in streams and rivers.

Assemblyman Jim Wood has pushed for funding to clean up the toxic sites and warned that there are areas that are simply not safe to go into anymore, which is an absolute travesty in the United States.

Yahoo reported on the issue:

Use of toxics has grown over the past three to four years, and chemicals have been found at sites in Oregon and Washington as well, said Chris Boehm, the Forest Service’s assistant director for enforcement and investigation. “In the last couple years we’ve lost a lot of the ground we had picked up in eradicating and cleaning up the new sites we find.”

So, what could be done to solve this problem? Do we legalize marijuana in California so the farmers have to follow strict guidelines set forth by the state government? Do we crack down on this with increased penalties? Let us know what you think in the comments!

Share this!

Enjoy reading? Share it with your friends!