Ditchweed Headache

New data on the Drug Enforcement Administration's Domestic Cannabis Eradication/Suppression Program may help clarify why the DEA is opposed to hemp cultivation in the United States. Although other countries where the crop is legal apparently have no trouble distinguishing between nonpsychoactive hemp and THC-loaded marijuana, it seems U.S. drug warriors can't tell the difference: 98 percent of the 223 million or so cannabis plants "eradicated" by American law enforcement agencies in 2005 were feral hemp, a.k.a. ditchweed.

[via NORML]

Comments

[Alan Vanneman]

I'm guessing they don't want to tell the difference. "10,000 acres cleared" sounds so much better than "200 acres cleared."

[todd]

Indiana eradicated 212,441,768 pounds of ditch weed in a year! I think they can not tell the difference between grass and "grass".

[todd]

Or pehaps they eradicate it with a pipe before they report their numbers...

[Kip]

"10,000 acres cleared" sounds so much better than "200 acres cleared."

Not if your a pothead. It makes me want to cry.

[rhywun]

I see that several states clearly aren't pulling their weight in the "assets seized" department.

[Mr. Nice Guy]

Perhaps these drug-warriors don't know the difference between ditchweed and skunk, but they sure know their single vs. double-malt scotch they guzzle every night before they beat their wives.

[NoStar]

Just more evidence that the $$ value of the eradicated dope is inflated in the press releases.

[MUTT]

Well, if "trained security" jackboots cant tell the difference between your 80 year old grannie & a suicide bomber at the airport, why should these jackboots be expected to know the difference between weed & weeds?

[Patrick]

Sshhhhhhhhhhhhh!

Of course its folly. But, better to keep the DEA occupied with harmless ditchweed, I say. I mean, if they are determined to spend a bazillion dollars or whatever a year, I'd rather they spend a good chunk of it eradicating ditchweed.