December 21, 2001

Contra Costa Times

by Dale Gieringer, http://www.canorml.org/

I am perplexed by your report of the recent pot bust involving a 66- year-old medical marijuana patient with fewer than a dozen plants in a garage.

Police called it a "major, major, major deal," but gardens this size are hardly exceptional.  Many patients grow far more for personal use - -- there have been numerous acquittals for gardens of 100-200 plants.

The police said the pot was worth up to $171,000, which works out to $16,000 per plant.  At $3,000 per pound, that is over 5 pounds a plant.  That's a truly spectacular yield -- indoor plants rarely yield more than a few ounces.  Something is missing here -- either there was a lot more pot, or the cops are telling tall tales.

Dale Gieringer

San Francisco

( Gieringer is coordinator, California NORML ( National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws )