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While listening to NPR the other day, they mentioned a strange fact. The rate of ‘home-grown’ marijuana busts by police has increased dramatically during the last couple of years. It was speculated that these home marijuana farmers were getting into the ‘biz’ because of their increasing ARM mortgages, and the need for additional funds to cover it.
That got me thinking about an incident that happened in my own neighborhood, literally across the street.
A few years ago, one of the major employers in my area started MAJOR layoffs. People that were used to making six-figure incomes were suddenly shown the door. This had a huge ripple effect throughout the area because most of the people let go were IT workers, which drove the supply up (and the demand down).
The quiet neighbor across the street was one of these layoffees. To add insult to injury, he soon got divorced, and the wife and kids moved away. he started staying in and wasn’t seen very often.
Soon however, his house turned into the local hangout for teenagers, all visiting LATE into the evening. The neighbors around us started asking questions. Why would an older man hang out with a whole pack of teenagers all of a sudden?
Eventually one of the neighbors complained to the police when the teens started ‘drag racing’ down our residential street at 2 a.m. That finally prompted the police to investigate and they ended up finding a whole basement growing farm for marijuana; sun lamps, growing supplies, the whole kit-and-kaboodle. The bust actually (briefly) made it onto CNN that week.
Since I didn’t know him very well, I didn’t hear this whole story until after the fact. The part that still mystifies me is why someone would choose to break the law rather than find a legitimate way to get back on their feet. I feel sorry for him, but ultimately he made his choice and he has to live with the consequences. Your lifestyle, no matter how good, shouldn’t cause you to turn to a life of crime if things change.
Something to keep in mind; No matter how bad things get, you still have to live with your choices.
When I heard the NPR audio, it reminded me of the ‘farmer’ across the street. He was also trying to preserve a lifestyle he couldn’t afford. He turned to what he thought was a ’safe’ crime to provide income. He ended up losing a lot more in the long run; His house, his freedom, and undoubtedly his future.
Photo by ElPablo!
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December 4th, 2007 at 5:51 am
I’ve heard a about these things happening quite a few times in the last couple years. It seems as though some people want to turn the house into a money making asset. I hope they all get busted.
December 4th, 2007 at 7:14 am
People think that a little crime doesn’t necessarily hurt, but there’s always the unintended consequences that come about. In his case, the teenagers racing down a congested residentail street. If it had been daytime (and they ‘had’ been coming to the house earlier and earlier) they could have hit one of the neighborhood kids that play near the street in their front yard. As is, it was a signal to the police that something was funky.
December 4th, 2007 at 4:09 pm
growing marijuana should not be a crime this person didn’t do anything wrong. teenagers should not drag race at 2 a.m. but no one was hurt this article just reminds me of how some people think they know how the whole world should be its ridiculous
December 4th, 2007 at 4:22 pm
Whether growing/using marijuana should or shouldn’t be a crime is a bigger issue than I was shooting for. Personally, I don’t have any problems with legalizing marijuana, but that’s my opinion. The point was that it IS against the law, right or wrong.
No one was hurt THIS TIME, but I don’t want to be the parent whos’ child becomes the ‘one time’ that it does become an issue. Everyone thinks that it always happens to ’someone else’ until they become that someone else.
Multi-thousand-pound vehicle + impaired driver = accident waiting to happen.
What you do in the safety of your OWN home, should be up to you. What you do in front of my house involves me too.
Thank you Joseph for the comment, I appreciate hearing from the readers,
December 6th, 2007 at 10:07 am
Honestly it is more common than we think though; maybe not as blatant as selling to teenagers out of his house, but I’ve known of people like this for years. And the funny thing is, you’re right, they’re not doing it because they’re in love with Mary Jane, they just want a second income…
December 8th, 2007 at 2:54 pm
I’m guessing that they hadn’t really considered that they might get busted for it. I also think that it’ll be surprisingly difficult to get back on your feet once you have to disclose that as a criminal record.
December 12th, 2007 at 10:36 am
Amazing story. Thanks for sharing. It’s simply shocking to find out that so many seemingly ordinary people actually harbor dark secrets. It appears to me that this guy felt since he’s already lost what was important to him, that he’d take the risk as he spiraled downhill. When people get depressed, you never know what can get into their minds, unfortunately.