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Drugs agency in plea to 'weed out' cannabis farms 
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Legend

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A campaign is being launched to encourage the public to help weed out cannabis factories.

The Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency (SCDEA) wants people to provide anonymous information on houses and flats they suspect are being used to cultivate cannabis.

The campaign comes as new figures showed police forces have seized almost £40m worth of the plants since 2006.

The SCDEA is spending £25,000 on the campaign.

Cultivations have been detected by all eight police forces across Scotland in both rural and urban settings and in a variety of properties, including flats, houses, farm buildings and industrial premises.

The public are being asked to use their "natural senses" to look out for signs which may indicate the presence of a cannabis factory.

'Tell-tale signs'

These include blacked-out windows, occasionally with condensation on them, or curtains or blinds that are permanently closed.

Another sign is when premises appear unoccupied most of the time but there are people, often of south-east Asian appearance, seen visiting late at night.

Cannabis farm tell-tale signs

* Blacked-out windows
* Curtains or blinds that are permanently closed
* A strong, sweet distinctive smell
* Unusual levels of heat coming through walls and floors
* A hum or loud buzzing sound caused by fans
* Premises seem unoccupied most of the time but people are seen visiting late at night

Since 2006, police in Scotland have detected 278 commercial cannabis cultivations and seized 130,716 plants valued at £39.2m.

Of the 304 people arrested, 74% were Chinese and 22% were Vietnamese.

Launching the campaign, Justice Kenny MacAskill said: "Even the smallest piece of information about an individual or group's activity can be the key that unlocks the door to disrupting an entire criminal empire.

"The fact that so many of the individuals involved in cannabis cultivation are of south-east Asian origin should not be seen as us targeting a community.

"Nine out of 10 of those arrested for these particular crimes are of south-east Asian descent and it would be negligent if we refused to acknowledge that reality."

He added: "But I hope that we will also get the support of those communities with family ties to that region of the world."

'Safety risks'

The agency has warned that cannabis factories pose serious safety risks, with properties often destroyed internally to maximise space for plants.

It has also argued they represent a serious fire and electrocution risk because electricity supplies are interfered with and powerful lighting is left on for long periods of time.

SCDEA director general Gordon Meldrum said: "These illegal and highly dangerous cultivations are quite literally on people's doorsteps. These are not the kind of neighbours anyone wants or needs."

Police said anyone who wanted to report suspicious activity should call Crimestoppers or give information anonymously online at www.crimestoppers-uk.org.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-11124720

If they're being that blatant about it they deserve to be caught :lol:

NI can confirm the Asian involvement too, though I'm not sure why they've suddenly expanded, and so quickly :?

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Mon Aug 30, 2010 12:43 pm
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Legend
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Legalise the normal grass and increase the rating on skunk to Class A. It is skunk which is doing the damage to mental health.

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Tue Aug 31, 2010 2:31 am
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Amnesia10 wrote:
Legalise the normal grass and increase the rating on skunk to Class A. It is skunk which is doing the damage to mental health.


Thing is, there's not much 'normal' grass left. Most varieties THC levels are far higher than they were 20-30 years ago. IMHO, this idea that there's some really nasty variety that's doing the damage is a misconception.

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Tue Aug 31, 2010 7:43 am
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Legalise and regulate all drugs, it's the only way to control the situation. Oh, and make money from it in taxation

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Tue Aug 31, 2010 7:49 am
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ProfessorF wrote:
Amnesia10 wrote:
Legalise the normal grass and increase the rating on skunk to Class A. It is skunk which is doing the damage to mental health.


Thing is, there's not much 'normal' grass left. Most varieties THC levels are far higher than they were 20-30 years ago. IMHO, this idea that there's some really nasty variety that's doing the damage is a misconception.

I will accept that. Though Skunk is stronger than normal grass. I have friends who have been regular smokers of the normal stuff and they are still as normal as can be.

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Tue Aug 31, 2010 8:18 am
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Legend

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I've known too many people that 'need' it just to stabilize now.

Also, do we have a real idea of the long-term effects, physically and mentally? :?

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Tue Aug 31, 2010 9:12 am
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Amnesia10 wrote:
ProfessorF wrote:
Amnesia10 wrote:
Legalise the normal grass and increase the rating on skunk to Class A. It is skunk which is doing the damage to mental health.


Thing is, there's not much 'normal' grass left. Most varieties THC levels are far higher than they were 20-30 years ago. IMHO, this idea that there's some really nasty variety that's doing the damage is a misconception.

I will accept that. Though Skunk is stronger than normal grass. I have friends who have been regular smokers of the normal stuff and they are still as normal as can be.

That's because Skunk is farmed very differently from Weed.

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Tue Aug 31, 2010 12:22 pm
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rustybucket wrote:
That's because Skunk is farmed very differently from Weed.

I fully appreciate that.

pcernie wrote:
Also, do we have a real idea of the long-term effects, physically and mentally?

The natural weed has been used for thousands of years and no ill effects. It normally has the anti psychotic in balance with the THC. Selective breeding has increased the amounts of THC and conversely reduced the antidote. It is these varieties that cause problems, skunk being the most well known.

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Tue Aug 31, 2010 12:46 pm
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Amnesia10 wrote:
rustybucket wrote:
That's because Skunk is farmed very differently from Weed.

I fully appreciate that.

pcernie wrote:
Also, do we have a real idea of the long-term effects, physically and mentally?

The natural weed has been used for thousands of years and no ill effects. It normally has the anti psychotic in balance with the THC. Selective breeding has increased the amounts of THC and conversely reduced the antidote. It is these varieties that cause problems, skunk being the most well known.

But skunk isn't a variety of cannabis.

It's produced from the same plants but in a very different way.

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Tue Aug 31, 2010 12:58 pm
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Cannabis farm tell-tale signs

* Blacked-out windows
* Curtains or blinds that are permanently closed
* A strong, sweet distinctive smell
* Unusual levels of heat coming through walls and floors
* A hum or loud buzzing sound caused by fans
* Premises seem unoccupied most of the time but people are seen visiting late at night

Yes that could be my home in the summer. I run about at night when it gets too hot. So curtains closed and the fans going. Strong smell of curry most days. House is unusually warm hence I run around at night when it is a lot cooler. As I am sleeping during the day it looks unoccupied. So I should expect a raid. :roll:

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Tue Aug 31, 2010 1:01 pm
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pcernie wrote:
Also, do we have a real idea of the long-term effects, physically and mentally? :?

Like any drug, including alcohol, it all depends on the individual and their particular habit.

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Tue Aug 31, 2010 5:14 pm
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Legend

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adidan wrote:
pcernie wrote:
Also, do we have a real idea of the long-term effects, physically and mentally? :?

Like any drug, including alcohol, it all depends on the individual and their particular habit.


What this country watches on TV alone tells me that drugs shouldn't be legalised for sale :oops:

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Tue Aug 31, 2010 7:43 pm
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Legend
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pcernie wrote:
adidan wrote:
pcernie wrote:
Also, do we have a real idea of the long-term effects, physically and mentally? :?

Like any drug, including alcohol, it all depends on the individual and their particular habit.


What this country watches on TV alone tells me that drugs shouldn't be legalised for sale :oops:

I would accept that. But look at the damage that drink does around our towns and cities every weekend, and that is legal. Cannabis will keep people calmer.

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Tue Aug 31, 2010 9:26 pm
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Legend

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Cannabis and drink's a bad combo from what I've seen, and I don't think the average UK moron would know not to do both :(

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Wed Sep 01, 2010 12:44 pm
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pcernie wrote:
Cannabis and drink's a bad combo from what I've seen, and I don't think the average UK moron would know not to do both :(

I have seen people on both but there has never been a problem. Maybe they were seasoned smokers and so knew their booze limit.

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Wed Sep 01, 2010 1:33 pm
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