NCJ Number
158404
Date Published
1986
Length
41 pages
Annotation
The Cannabis Eradication/Suppression Program of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) was established to ensure a coordinated effort by Federal, State, and local agencies.
Abstract
The DEA's role in this cooperative venture is to encourage State and local eradication efforts and to contribute funding, training, equipment, and investigative and aircraft resources to support such efforts. In 1986, all 50 States participated in the program to which $3.6 million was allocated. The program conducted 23 eradication schools and seminars in 1986 which were attended by 887 law enforcement officers, at a cost of $127,000. Support for the eradication program was listed as a priority for the DEA Aviation Unit; 281 missions totaling 730.3 flying hours complemented State and local air efforts. Eradication resulted in the destruction of 129,686,033 plants in 33,291 plots. Of this figure, over 125,012,880 plants were uncultivated, fiber-type cannabis of a low-potency variety. Eradication activities resulted in the arrest of 5,537 individuals and the seizure of 1,646 weapons. Of cultivated plants, 1,807,021 were of the high- potency, sinsemilla variety. By all measures, the 1986 eradication program was viewed as an overwhelming success. Tables and figures