Marijuana growers
in Canada used black bears to guard the farm
August 19th, 2010 12:31 pm
© By Michael Velardo, Detroit Substance Abuse Examiner
Marijuana growers in south eastern British Columbia used black bears to guard the farm, but that didn’t stop Canadian police from raiding the place in a recent bust.
What may be a first, however, in guard tactics for a crop of pot, is the use of 14 black bears patrolling the farm to scare away marijuana thieves. Reported on Thursday, 8-19-2010 that “Dave Webster, a conservation officer with the provincial government,” launched an investigation into the use of black bears for this operation.
However, the bears may have been eating the crop because when police arrived, the animals just sat around uninterested in all the activity, and were tamer than a toy poodle on Valium. One bear even climbed onto the hood of a patrol car and had a seat.
Two persons believed responsible for the operation, were arrested.
Apparently, the “grow-op’ers” lured the bears to the site using dog food. Unfortunately, feeding bears like this can actually harm them because they rely on human provided food, and will then seek people out, sometimes attacking them, destroying property, and even killing folks, said Webster.
Using bears in this manner, and potentially endangering others because the defendants were allegedly feeding wild animals while using them as guards, especially black bears, is the real crime here.
However, what about the marijuana growing operation?
Was the marijuana bust wasted money, and manpower? Or under these particular circumstances, were the police justified, notwithstanding the illegality of the marijuana operation, in busting these people?
Caveat
However, that is not to say those that try marijuana as youngsters, or adults do not have the possibility of moving on to find their “drug of choice,” and becoming full-blown hard core drug addicts, but it isn’t the marijuana that causes this. There are environmental, genetic, psychological, and/or emotional variables that conspire within, and without of an individual which finds them on the road to self-destruction in most cases. Many also become addicted due to a legitimate medical condition.
So be warned. A certain percentage of folks that experiment with drugs, or even use them legitimately, whatever the substance may be, will go on to become chemically dependent, and find that the road back to reality is not paved with golden bricks. Neither is the road there. Both are roller coasters with speed bumps, giant potholes, razor thin pathways with 1000-foot cliffs on either side, and cops at every turn.
The road is also one that may not have a turnaround at all. Just ask the countless tweens, teens, and adults lying buried in the ground, or cremated as a result of drug abuse, and/or addiction. Surely, their silence is just as loud as if they were alive today screaming.