WET WEATHER SLOWS CANNABIS CROP

Bad news for growers - good news for police. Heavy rain at the end of last
year has put a dampener on many cannabis plots in the Rotorua area.

The lack of sunshine and slushy conditions in November meant the cannabis
growing process had been delayed, Detective Sergeant John Wilson of Rotorua
police said.

Normally cannabis growers started to harvest their crops in March or April.
However, this year the plants might not be ready until a few months later,
Mr Wilson said.

"November was a dismal month. The rain has slowed the growth down and the
lack of sunshine since then would not have helped matters. I know that my
lawn is not growing like it should, so neither will the cannabis."

A team of police would again be heading into the forests surrounding
Rotorua, Tokoroa and Taupo in February as part of the annual cannabis
eradication programme, Mr Wilson said.

During the past two years the programme had managed to net about 1100
cannabis plants, along with a few growers who were found checking their
plots, Mr Wilson said.

"It makes a hole in it, but it's only a dent in the problem because we are
not getting it all - it just makes the growers work a bit harder."

Although harder drugs such as methamphetamine and LSD had been in the
spotlight during recent years, there was still as much cannabis around, he
said.

"It's just as big a worry as those other drugs because one thing leads to
another."

Mr Wilson encouraged people such as hunters and fishermen who would be
spending time in the bush during the next few months to keep their eyes
peeled for cannabis crops.

"We want to get rid of as much of the stuff as we can," he said.