Siskiyou County Sheriff Jeremiah LaRue began seeing bags of Chinese-labeled pesticide at illegal marijuana farms a few years ago. Lab testing showed the products contained a cocktail of dozens of chemicals, including banned compounds harmful to health.
LaRue said that foreign-labeled pesticides now turn up in about 80% of grow site raids in the county.
“The pesticides are being put on the product itself, and they're being distributed throughout California and other states,” he said. “They're even being sold in licensed dispensaries.”
Earlier this month, the Siskiyou County Board of Supervisors declared a local state of emergency to combat the use of the pesticides, which officials say is a "transnational criminal threat.”
The emergency declaration establishes a task force, allocates protective equipment for first responders exposed to the chemicals and seeks help from state and federal authorities. The county plans to develop an outreach program to raise awareness among residents about the health risks.
Laboratory tests identified at least 27 pesticides from samples taken at grow sites in Siskiyou County, according to the proclamation, including nine that behave “similar to chemical warfare nerve agents by attacking the central nervous system.” Law enforcement identified pesticides that have either never been approved in the U.S. or have been banned due to safety concerns.
The California Environmental Protection Agency found Chinese-labeled pesticide in 18 California counties, with Siskiyou County leading on "quantity, variety, and frequency of observation,” according to the sheriff's office.
LaRue said the chemicals not only pose a risk for cannabis users and growers, but firefighters who answer frequent calls at grow sites.
“We've had instances where firefighters have gone in and have actually received chemical burns dealing with these pesticides,” LaRue said. “In some cases, firefighters are actually hesitant because they know what the risks are about going into these grow sites.”
Despite falling marijuana prices, LaRue said that illegal cannabis farms have persisted. He’s identified around 2,000 parcels growing cannabis year-round.
He hopes the emergency declaration will at least bring the issue to the attention of lawmakers. If his county doesn't get support soon, he said, the consequences to public health and California's ecosystem will be "irreversible."
