The Emerald Triangle…A Devastating Scene

People who smoke pot may envy the power of the marijuana growers in the Emerald Triangle. Marijuana controls the economy in Humboldt, Trinity and Mendocino Counties of Northern California. Shasta County also has a huge marijuana industry, often hidden in its dense forests. Sometimes the police forces and local governments buy into the trade. But for residents who don’t use pot or drink or use other drugs, the growers and dealers are a major threat to safety and security.

Child abuse and neglect problems are rampant in this area which boasts that it supplies 60% of our nation’s marijuana supply. Many children grow up knowing that no one really cares about them. The violent child murders by marijuana grower Shane Miller is not so surprising in this area.  Last July Marijuana-wax user Matthew Graham, also from Shasta County died in a shootout with police, but he is suspected of killing his baby. It seems like each new case of child abuse is worse than the last, such as the recent discovery in Eureka of two children who died in a storage unit.

The state legislature is afraid to put teeth in any legislation to control the marijuana growers, and right now the Federal Government is providing no funds to go after medical marijuana providers, although so many of these providers cross the line into drug dealing (most of the medical marijuana industry in California).

People who grow marijuana or who have lots of marijuana can make the most money, so the fight for control of this money drives the crime. Here’s news from the Humboldt County Sheriff Department’s about a recent hash oil explosion in Eureka and how it effects other people.

In addition to hash oil explosions, there are many home invasions such as the one that happened on the night of February 28, 2016 in Weitchpec. Welcome to the world of marijuana.

“Victims told deputies at about 9:30 p.m. three males, one armed with a pistol and two with shotguns, entered their residence. The suspects were wearing jackets with Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office emblems. The suspects tied up the victims with zip ties and the suspects demanded marijuana, cash, and guns. The three suspects stole cash and a 2014 white Toyota Tundra pick-up truck prior to leaving the scene.”

Here’s some charts to show a comparison of the crime rate in Humboldt County compared to the rest of the country.

Recently, Time Magazine listed Redding (population about 90,000) in Shasta County as one of the worst places in the country for its growing crime rate:

“There were 1,298 violent crimes in the Redding metro area in 2012, up from 851 violent crimes in 2007. On a standardized, per 100,000 resident basis, violent crime rose more than 53% in that time. Additionally, property crimes rose by more than 50%, the most of any metro area reviewed, despite a nationwide 12.7% decline in such crimes during that time. According to the Redding Record Searchlight, some area residents believe that the area’s high crime rates may be related to marijuana cultivation. Officials in Shasta County — which makes up the Redding metro area — recently elected to ban outdoor growing, although the city of Redding is not included in the ban.”

The Emerald Triangle provides insight into what will happen if the marijuana groups get to control of California and the rest of the United States and Canada.