Sheriff, state seize 306 marijuana plants in county
CRAIG COUNTY – More than 300 marijuana plants with an estimated street value of $306,000 were seized in Craig County, Sheriff Clifford Davidson confirmed today.
The sheriff said on Aug. 25 the plants were located and seized after an aerial search by a Virginia National Guard helicopter Aug. 16-17.
Craig County Sheriff Clifford Davidson checks out some of the more than 300 marijuana plants seized after annual fly overs. Submitted photo
The fly over was conducted in cooperation with the Craig County Sheriff’s Office, the New River Regional Drug Task Force, Virginia State Police and Virginia Conservation Police.
Davidson said the investigation is continuing and arrests are anticipated. Neighbors reported late last week the plants were confiscated in the Sinking Creek area, but at the time, Sheriff Davidson declined to release information because the annual fly overs were still underway.
$306,000 divided by the number of plants (we’ll say 306, since the article states “more than 300″, but likely goes with the closest approximation of “300″)…
$306,000 divided by 306 plants = Value per plant of $1,000.
For a plant, I would think that THAT number alone tells a telling tale of Economic Demand. I wonder, measure for measure, how that compares to tobacco?
If we assume some stiff tax, like 21%, at current market that would be about $64,260 in tax income that would have been generated if it were legal.
I would assume this is a relatively small-scale operation. What percentage of overall demand is impacted by such cost expenditures? What was the law enforcement COST associated with this operation? We can see it involved the cost of a helicopter; and labor across Craig County Sheriff’s Office personnel, Virginia National Guard personnel, the New River Regional Task Force personnel, Virginia State Police personnel, and Virginia Conservation Police personnel.
Destroy Crop = Cost of $?
versus
Legalize Crop = Tax Income of $64,260
I believe we do far more damage by keeping this unjust prohibition in effect. History witnessed dramatic cessation of gang-related violence when the alcohol prohibition was repealed. I believe we would see the same thing with cannabis, don’t you?
Add to this the positive economic impact of hemp for materials science, fuel production, nutrition, etc…
Less toxicity than alcohol or tobacco, less social ill…
Why is cannabis illegal?
Corruption of Government by Economic Competition.
Legalize Cannabis!
Yours in the Spirit of Gifting,
Jeremy E. Simpson
Kringle, A Corporation Sole