Washington Doubled Pot Plant Seizures in 2007

While Seattle may have made marijuana possession its lowest legal priority, the latest figures from a statewide conference of sheriffs and police chiefs indicate the prosecution of marijuana in Washington State is anything but decreasing. In 2007, the state of Washington more than doubled its seizures of marijuana plants. 296,111 marijuana plants were seized in Washington alone last year.

Legal or not, marijuana is one of Washington State's largest cash crops. The Evergreen State ranks second behind California in the nation for outdoor grow operations, and third in the nation for indoor ops. (To get an idea what it takes to be number one in the nation: the Drug Enforcement Agency reports that California law enforcement officials seized over 3 million marijuana plants in 2007.) Over one-third of Washington's seized outdoor marijuana plants were found on tribal lands, while the largest percentage of indoor grow operations were located in urban areas like Seattle. Almost 30,000 indoor plants were confiscated from Seattle-area operations alone.

We have to admit, minus those pesky federal laws, we don't really understand why Washington State hasn't decided to start taxing and selling marijuana in our already state-run liquor stores. The amount of money the state could reap on taxes, not to mention the savings on law enforcement, would be significant. Marijuana usage and growing isn't going anywhere in Washington but up; the state might as well benefit from its true cash crop.

Indoor grow operation photo courtesy of the Valley Narcotics Enforcement Team