420 with CNW – Marijuana Legalization Results in Fewer Illegal Grows in National Forests, Study Finds
New research shows that as marijuana started being legalized for recreational purposes in different states across the U.S., the reported cases of illicit grow sites within protected lands started falling. The research findings, released in Ecological Economics, specifically point out that illegal grows on national forests saw a major decline in the Pacific Northwest after cannabis legalization started. USDA’s Forest Service analyzed the available data on the illegal marijuana grow sites discovered and reported between 2004 and 2016. This data was in regard to 111 national forests. The researchers considered several factors, such as the retail price of pot, state…