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Marijuana Symposium

Marijuana Symposium . Northern California High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area University of San Francisco September 20, 2007. Secondary Effects of Medical Marijuana. How Did We Get Here? Our City Council decided to consider allowing a Marijuana Dispensary in our city.

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Marijuana Symposium

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  1. Marijuana Symposium Northern California High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area University of San Francisco September 20, 2007

  2. Secondary Effects of Medical Marijuana How Did We Get Here? • Our City Council decided to consider allowing a Marijuana Dispensary in our city. • We in the Police Department researched the potential effects to our community. • We presented sufficient information to encourage our City Council to ban dispensaries in our city.

  3. Secondary Effects of Medical Marijuana Research Obstacles • Under Reporting, if reported at all • Crime Classification • Reliance on typical statistical gathering techniques • Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policies

  4. Secondary Effects of Medical Marijuana • The Crimes • Murder / Assault w/ a Deadly Weapon • Robbery • Burglary • Secondary Sales • Money Laundering • Utility Theft

  5. Secondary Effects of Medical Marijuana Deaths Associated with Medical Marijuana • Myth: Nobody dies from Medical Marijuana • Fact: At least 17 deaths in the last four years directly associated with Medical marijuana. • Murders during business robberies • Murders during home invasion robberies • Murders during street robberies • Deaths of suspects during attempted robberies • Numerous shootings during robberies

  6. Secondary Effects of Medical Marijuana Robberies • Based on “under reporting”, We can only estimate the number of Robberies. • Occur in or around the Dispensaries • Victimize the business, employees and patrons and “suppliers” • Range from simple, single suspect armed with pepper spray to five suspect assault teams conducting take over bank style robberies. • Cities without dispensaries experience home invasion robberies of dispensary employees/owners

  7. Secondary Effects of Medical Marijuana Burglaries • Another under reported crime. • A source of calls for service, alarms/reports • Can lead to dispensary owners / growers resorting to means other than Law Enforcement to combat problem. • Also leads to more marijuana on the streets for sale.

  8. Secondary Effects of Medical Marijuana Secondary Sales • Increasing number of sales suspects obtaining recommendations in an effort to cover their illicit activities. • People without recommendations using those with recommendations to obtain marijuana for them. • Popular with Juveniles

  9. Secondary Effects of Medical Marijuana Money Laundering • Every aspect of this endeavor is “cash only” • The growers selling to the dispensaries at an average of approx. $4,000.00 per pound • The dispensaries selling to individuals, at prices that approach $8,000 per pound • The doctors making the recommendations, $175-250.00 per recommendation plus $100-$150.00 for annual renewals • In some instances, the money is financing Organized Crime factions, being moved off shore or used to buy property outside the U.S..

  10. Secondary Effects of Medical Marijuana Utility Theft • It is estimated that electricity theft both in the U.S. and Canada costs consumers MILLIONS of dollars every year. • Make shift wiring for growing operations represents a tremendous safety threat to public safety personnel. • This also creates a significant fire risk.

  11. Secondary Effects of Medical Marijuana Increased Demand for Marijuana • It is estimated there are at least 400 openly operating Dispensaries in California. • If each one sells just one pound per day, that equates to 146,000 pounds a year. • Conservatively, $730,000,000.00 ($5,000.00 per pound) • We have seen a huge increase in both in-door and out door grows.

  12. Secondary Effects of Medical Marijuana Real Estate • New homes purchased in blocks / Rental property • Converted to in-door grow facilities • Potentially uninhabitable once growers move on or damaged by fire when electrical system fails. • Now a blight upon your community.

  13. Secondary Effects of Medical Marijuana • Information used for this report can be found on the Cal Chiefs web site: http://www.californiapolicechiefs.org/nav_files/research/ordinances.html • Or you can contact me at Cmdr. Michael Regan (510) 215-4426 mregan@ci.el-cerrito.ca.us

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