If you smoke a joint, you’re not just inhaling THC and other cannabinoids. You’re also likely breathing in dangerous neurotoxins and cancer-causing chemicals.
Now that recreational marijuana is legal in four states—Alaska, Colorado, Oregon, and Washington—a dirty little secret about the pot industry has surfaced. Pot growers—especially those who cultivate plants indoors—rely heavily on pesticides.
We've discussed that on occasion here over the years - in particular the reliance upon fertilizers and rodenticides. It's especially ironic, given that for several years, "medical marijuana dispensaries" and growing operations have been sanctioned. It's always seemed more than a little odd that people were smoking pesticide-laden rope for "health" reasons.
But it appears that people are finally beginning to treat the issue seriously, and one of the leaders in the emerging organic cannabis industry is located in Canby, Oregon. Not only do they have a website, the growing operation isn't USDA-certified organic (it still being technically illegal at the federal level) but is cetified under a program that adheres to identical standards: "clean green".
If this all seems a little bizarre to you, you're not alone; this is a whole New Deal, and something that would have been entirely unthinkable just a few short years ago.
But if there's one huge positive that's starting to emerge from the whole pot legalization mess, it's that more people are beginning to consider the health benefits related to insecticide inhalation, and coming to the conclusion that not only are there no benefits, there are a lot of downsides. We've been talking about this over here for years, and it's kind of gratifying to see that others are reaching conclusions similar to those that you and I have long expressed. Better yet, they're taking steps to provide the cleanest, healthiest product possible.
The Canby farm, called SoFresh, goes even further than most: since pot is vulnerable to aphid infestation, they use colonies of ladybugs to control them. Ladybugs love to dine upon aphids.
They're also using controlled irrigation and water recycling systems, using composting and soil-layering techniques, and growing their plants with sufficient space to permit appropriate air circulation - which prevents mold. Moreover, such spacing allows for placement of flooring so that they can tend to their crops while avoiding soil compaction.
Say what you will, but for pot farmers, these folks are doing things right, and employing top-level biological sciences in order to do so.
And other growers are adopting similar practices. Since people are going to burn the stuff whether it's legal or not, it's really nice to see the weedies stepping up to the plate of responsible practices - both for the local ecology and for the long-term health of their eventual consumers.
