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Highlands Today

State, Feds Need To Chip In For Fight Against Pot Growhouses

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By None Selected

Published: November 6, 2007

Whoever would have guessed that Highlands County had more than 50 marijuana growhouses, with probably more hidden away in unsuspecting neighborhoods?

As more of these growhouse operations are exposed, the true magnitude of the operation is coming to light. We don't know the full scope of this criminal activity, but we do know that local agencies and residents are slowly feeling the cost of weeding it out.

Law enforcement is having to foot the expense of storing the evidence and paying overtime, Animal Control is paying to care and house the abandoned animals and neighbors living close to growhouses are having to deal with potential blight in their midst.

Take for example Animal Control. Of the 52 growhouses raided the past year, between 15 to 20 had livestock that Animal Control had to take care of.

At one closed growhouse, the county had to care for about 40 animals, including horses, goats, cows, hogs and chickens. For about two months, the county had to haul feed out to them and bring in a generator to pump well water for them.

In only one case could the county recover some of the costs, by selling eight cows at auction which Animal Control had taken care of at a closed growhouse site. While the county recouped $2,000, the cost for the care was more than $4,000.

The moral of the story: Many don't realize the true cost of these growhouse busts, and local communities like ours need state or federal financial help in this fight.

A few months ago, Florida law enforcement officers had gathered together and discussed this very issue. They echoed the need for monetary help in dealing with the aftermath of a growhouse bust.
Local crime fighting agencies are created to fight local crime. Local Animal Control operations are supposed to deal with day-to-day problems with stray animals and animal bites. It's outside their scope to shelter barns full of animals with nowhere to go because their owners are in prison or have been forced to move out.

Let's hope state and federal officials understand the quandary of local entities that get caught in the middle as growhouse operations migrate to rural areas. There's funds available to fight meth and cocaine abuse. Why not marijuana growhouses?

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