The
MENDOCINO COUNTRY INDEPENDENT
(707) 468-1009 • P.O. Box 533, Talmage, CA 95481
ARE SMALL GROWERS BEING TARGETED?
This chart shows the plant count of busted cannabis gardens for which
we have data on the Y axis
as a function of the number of gardens having that many or more plants
on the X axis. Click
Here if you don't see the chart.
The MENDOCINO COUNTRY Independent MJ Bust List is
developed by unique defendants/suspects, but a single garden busted
often has multiple growers.
Reducing the plant count sorted list (122
individuals) to gardens, we have plant count data on only 50 gardens.
Of these, the median was 200 plants, the average was 564, the
maximum was 5,275 and the
smallest was Lester Smith's at 17 plants. Additionally, his was the
only garden under 25 plants, and the next one up was 47 plants, the
Hastings case in Covelo. Twenty five plants was the Measure G limit,
and is the current limit of the County nuisance ordinance passed in
January of '08.
There were 5 gardens with more than 1,000 plants.
There were only 11 gardens smaller than 100, and 14
gardens between 200 and 100 plants.
What this small sample shows is that growers with
less than 100 plants have a 20% chance of being busted in comparison
with growers with up to 5,000 plants.
The Bust List has 400 plus entries, but we have
plant count data only on 122. To fill in the blanks, we need more
funding. A larger sample may lead to the conclusion that law
enforcement is concentrating on "low hanging fruit." Please subscribe
today to the Independent for $20 to the address above. Thanks.