MARIJUANA RAIDS TRICKY FOR POLICE

But They're Needed To Keep County Safe

First Port Carbon, Then Andreas.

Who knows where police will discover the next marijuana patch in Schuylkill
County?

Marijuana growers are keeping law enforcement officials in the county, and
the rest of the state, hoping to try to catch them before they can harvest
their plants and reap their ill-gotten gains from their illegal product.

Last month, police seized 15 plants in Port Carbon and 105 in Andreas, but
undoubtedly more will crop up where they came from. It's an endless battle
to keep the county free of the weed that, despite its dangers, remains
popular with many people.

But the battle is one every citizen in the county should support.

Finding marijuana plants can be difficult in rural areas, since small
patches can be grown in remote areas or concealed amid other crops. Indeed,
the two recent seizures happened almost by chance: A couple walking their
dog saw the Port Carbon plants, while a telephone tip informed officers of
the Andreas crop.

That accounts for what officials say is the increasing popularity of
growing marijuana in rural areas.

And while marijuana smoking is commonly associated with inner cities, 11
percent of county students said in a 1998 survey they used it once a month
and 3 percent said they used it every day.

Because of marijuana's popularity among youths, it is vital for everyone in
the county to join efforts to eradicate its use in this area.

Marijuana is not harmless, noted Debra L. Moroz of the county Drug and
Alcohol Executive Commission.

Smoking one joint has the same carcinogenic effect as smoking 40
cigarettes, chronic use can impair short-term memory and reactions with
other substances can cause unanticipated anxiety and hallucinogenic
effects, she said.

Would you want to share the road with someone who is smoking marijuana
while driving their car? Or would you want any kind of business dealing
with that person? Of course not.

And of course, people who use marijuana are far more likely than those who
don't to use other, even more harmful drugs, whether because of the people
they hang out with, their desire to experiment or boredom with marijuana.

There simply is no upside to smoking marijuana. It's a waste of time - no
one ever really accomplished anything while doing it - and money. Setting
fire to the money used to buy it would be no worse.

If you have children, show them why they shouldn't use marijuana. If you
use it, stop before it harms you, your family and your community.