Pot is called biggest cash crop

SACRAMENTO — For years, activists in the marijuana legalization movement have claimed that cannabis is America's biggest cash crop. Now they're citing government statistics to prove it.

A report released today by a marijuana public policy analyst contends that the market value of pot produced in the U.S. exceeds $35 billion — far more than the crop value of such heartland staples as corn, soybeans and hay, which are the top three legal cash crops.

California is responsible for more than a third of the cannabis harvest, with an estimated production of $13.8 billion that exceeds the value of the state's grapes, vegetables and hay combined — and marijuana is the top cash crop in a dozen states, the report states...

LA Times with video

Smell of R2m dagga was a giveaway

Dagga worth about R2-million - concealed at the back of a truck believed to be owned by a Soweto man - has been discovered.

The 35-year-old driver, believed to be from Cape Town, was arrested by the Free State border police, but his accomplice fled the scene and is still on the run...

The Star

Leonardo Dicaprio - asks questions

I’m an actor, environmentalist and board member of Global Green USA and the NRDC. In 1998 I founded the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation to foster awareness of environmental issues.

I'm becoming increasingly concerned that the impact of people on the planet is threatening our clean air to breathe, clean water to drink and the stable climate we live in... Yahoo! Answers

Vagrant high veld turned into fragrant green zone

The Tshwane Metro Police are helping to reclaim a green area in Centurion for the birds, putting an end to the dagga-growing activities of local vagrants.

The Metro Police were alerted to the problem by Tshwane Nature Conservation that was recently granted control of the site. The area, on the corner of John Vorster and Nellmapius drives in Highveld, Centurion, is being transformed into a bird sanctuary called Findle Park.

Having long been a hide-out for vagrants, the situation turned dangerous when a group of 30 vagrants started stoning nature conservation workers tasked with clearing the area.

Tshwane nature conservationist Natalie Vos said they received complaints from their workers about the hostile vagrants. On further investigation the dagga plantation was found, which spanned more than a hectare. Pretoria News