{"id":7710,"date":"2023-04-20T20:26:10","date_gmt":"2023-04-20T18:26:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/marijuanagrowing.com\/?p=7710"},"modified":"2024-01-31T13:31:33","modified_gmt":"2024-01-31T12:31:33","slug":"preserving-the-sanctuary-chapter-14","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/marijuanagrowing.com\/preserving-the-sanctuary-chapter-14\/","title":{"rendered":"Preserving The Sanctuary – Chapter 14"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Internetdominates information today. We can check https:\/\/earth.google.com\/web<\/a>\/ and see actual cannabis gardens with big plants in northern California. Amazing views of legal cannabis gardens! Security issues have changed immensely during the last few years in the United States and countries that allow or tolerate medical cultivation of the cannabis plant. As legal patients and cannabis gardeners, we do not have to worry about losing our homes in the USA to \u201cdouble jeopardy\u201d laws that prosecute gardeners as criminals, and later in civil court where we are subject to asset forfeiture laws and unsavory \u201ccriminal\u201d vultures extorting \u201cfavors\u201d while we cower in the shadows. We can talk freely with fellow gardeners, patients, and caregivers without fear of being labeled as so-called mafia or organized crime and subject to RICO* and other prejudicial laws. The Internet gives cannabis cultivators\u2014medical and recreational alike\u2014the ability to gather information yet remain anonymous in this worldwide legal turmoil. Digital cameras and camcorders allow us to share our gardens with fellow gardeners with little or no fear of being discovered. The flood of Internet information is overwhelming to prohibitionists that criminalize sick people and work counter to the laws of Mother Nature and the cannabis plant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

*Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations [Act] (RICO) USA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many politicians, law-enforcement agents, and ill-informed people continue to wage war on the cannabis plant, US citizens, and citizens of many coun\u00adtries. They have an impressive arsenal, including draconian laws, misinforma\u00adtion, and high-tech surveillance gizmos. The USA Patriot Act and the Homeland Security Act of 2002 further erode personal rights of individuals. Unfortunately, the US government has done its best to export this paranoia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLegal\u201d medical cannabis gardeners are obligated by local law to keep their paperwork in order. At press time there are 18 states and the District of Colom\u00adbia (19 total) in the USA with medical cannabis laws.* Around the world, laws vary immensely between countries, zones, states, provinces, and cantons. And the laws in many areas are unclear and often change from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. Cultivating cannabis for any reason is illegal under US Federal Law Statutes, and the international \u201cSingle Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961.\u201d** However, even the Federal Government has designated medicinal cannabis legal in a handful of cases. Confused? So is everybody else\u2014 including law enforcement and politi\u00adcians. Consequently, medicinal cannabis laws are open to interpretation. Check the NORML (National Organization on the Reform of Marijuana Laws) web\u00adsite, www.norml.org<\/a>, for updated laws and requirements for medical cannabis patient cardholders in the USA. Study news from other countries to learn how their cannabis laws are changing. For the first time in recent history, cannabis antiprohibitionists are on equal ground with prohibitionists in the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

*Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Wash\u00adington state, and Washington, DC.
**http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Single_ Convention_on_Narcotic_Drugs<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Even though medicinal cannabis is legal in many states in the USA, countless US citizens are arrested every year. Please pay attention to local laws!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) is behind many state cannabis initiatives. The MPP lob\u00adbies Congress to reduce Drug War budgets and stop deceptive anti-cannabis campaigns.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Headed by Ethan Nadelmann, the Drug Policy Alliance (www.drugpolicy.org<\/a>) is an excellent website to look for current Drug War facts and political action to stop the crazy war.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Posting a \u201cMedical Use Only\u201d notice that states the garden complies with state law can be used as \u201cevidence\u201d should problems arise.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Outdoor and greenhouse gardeners are subject to climate change and Mother Nature\u2019s needs. Some years are better than others. For exam\u00adple, in 2011 the outdoor harvest in California was lighter overall than in 2010 because of a cold, wet spring and early autumn rains. Insightful gardeners planted more plants over\u00adall to make up for difficult growing conditions.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Even though the sunlight afforded by complete legalization can be seen among the clouds, medical cannabis gardeners in \u201cmedical\u201d and \u201cnonmedical\u201d cannabis states must still be concerned with secu\u00adrity. The retail market value of medicinal cannabis is about $15 USD per gram and $15,000 USD per kilo (2.2 pounds) at medical dispensaries. Gourmet toma\u00adtoes, a comparable legal crop, fetch up to $10 USD per pound (454 gm). On the black market a gardener can sell the crop for 10 to 50 percent or more. However, wholesale prices are much less than $15,000 USD\/kg. For example, the retail price in the USA for one pound (454 gm) oscillates between $800 USD for low-quality outdoor cannabis and high-quality indoor\/greenhouse can\u00adnabis that fetches from $2,500 to $3,200 USD per pound (454 gm).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The inflated value of medicinal cannabis makes gardens an easy target for crimi\u00adnals and law enforcement. The monetary value of cannabis has made it a hostage of the black market. Secret medical cannabis gardens are just like the name says: secret. I asked members on my website, www.marijuanagrowing.com<\/a>, about sanctuary preservation concerns. Secrecy and maintaining a normal life\u00adstyle\u2014paying bills and taxes, going to little league games, and so on\u2014topped the list. Untold quiet medical cannabis gardeners have been harvesting crop after crop for decades in Drug War\u2013torn America and many other countries around the world. Every year cannabis-related arrests increase but actually appear to promote a disproportionate increase in cannabis cultivation. Supply increases, demand increases, and market prices drop. It is simple economics. See www.norml.org<\/a> for more information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Security\u2014personal, family, home, and sanctuary\u2014comes first. Thieves, both illegal and legal, can do you, your family, friends\u2014human and animal\u2014physical harm or worse. Thieves and government officials violate private homes and garden sanctuaries with little or no threat of legal recourse from you. In many countries, states, and provinces, law enforcement can detain you, your friends, and your family\u2014they can even kill your pets!\u2014 all under the cloak of law.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Indoors, efficient medical cannabis gardeners in this Drug War\u2013torn world should be able to harvest 0.4 to 0.5 grams of (dried) flower buds from heavy variet\u00adies (less for others) every month for each watt of light in the flowering room. Of\u00adten, indoor medical cannabis gardeners harvest half (or less!) of the possible har- vest. A half harvest is inefficient and a misuse of assets. Even such \u201csuccess\u00adful\u201d harvests leave twice the carbon in the environment relative to harvest weight. Indoor gardeners who do not harvest this much may be inexperienced, working too hard, or lazy in regard to achievable results, and often cheating the environment. Master the basics of growing medical cannabis, and you will be rewarded with a more robust harvest. Remember, greenhouse and outdoor gardeners are subject to climate and space restrictions and should plant early and harvest often!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Unfortunately, medicinal cannabis has been kept behind bars for many years. During the last 15 years\u2019 progress in California, Colo\u00adrado, Washington state, and other medical cannabis states, this condition is changing.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Medical cannabis gardeners in currently non-medical states in the USA often garden in rental houses.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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This medical cannabis garden in an attic is accessible via a pull-down stairway.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In the USA, individual medical canna\u00adbis gardeners who cultivate fewer than 99 total plants are seldom prosecuted under federal laws that require a 5-year minimum sentence with no parole when convicted of growing 100 to 1,000 plants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Keep the medical garden room locked to prevent unwanted visitors.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A simple search for \u201cmarijuana insurance\u201d will net several bona fide insurance companies.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Sanctuary Preservation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The vast majority of medical cannabis gardeners are normal people with a reg\u00adular schedule, simple lifestyle, and pleas\u00adant demeanor. They keep their gardens and grounds in line with neighborhood standards. They do not have noisy, wild parties, and they get along well with neighbors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Showing a medical garden to anyone who has no direct involvement invites problems. People like to talk and embel\u00adlish. Once the word gets out, your gar\u00adden may be subject to compromise and theft. Strangers can also bring diseases and pests into the garden.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even though medical cannabis may be legal where you live, neighbors, visitors, and family members may oppose it and create conflict. Indoor medical cannabis gardeners are able to attain peace of mind for themselves and loved ones by installing a secret entrance to gardens via false doors and difficult-to-find entrances through workshops, basements, and attics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some gardeners mount a tool pegboard or painting over the door to disguise the garden room\u2019s entryway. The locked door is controlled with a remote electric door opener.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Insurance: <\/strong>If you are concerned about medical cannabis crop theft and equip\u00adment theft you can buy insurance and security services. Many companies sell home security systems. Search \u201chome security systems\u201d on the Internet to learn about current security issues and surveillance devices. Companies such as Medical Marijuana Insurance will insure your medical cannabis crop. This company insures medical cannabis gardeners, processors and dispensaries against economic loss to their crop from natural and unnatural hazards. Use your favorite search engine to check for other companies that insure valuable medical cannabis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Sanctuary Preservation Precautions<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n