Campaign Against Marijuana Planting

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The Campaign Against Marijuana Planting (CAMP) is a multi-agency law enforcement task force managed by the California Department of Justice and composed of local, state and federal agencies organized expressly to eradicate illegal cannabis cultivation and trafficking in California. Since its establishment in 1983, more than 110[citation needed] agencies having participated, making CAMP one of the largest law enforcement task force in the United States.

CAMP's stated primary objectives include "reducing the supply of marijuana to the illegal drug trade by eradicating the large marijuana crop sites; increasing public and environmental safety by removing marijuana growers from public and private lands; investigating indoor growing operations; deterring potential growers; and promoting public information and education on marijuana."[1]

CAMP agents are divided into five teams covering Northern, Central and Southern California regions. Headed by the California Department of Justice, CAMP includes local, state and federal agencies that work to eradicate illegal indoor and outdoor cannabis cultivation and trafficking throughout California. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service, California National Guard, California State Parks, California Department of Fish and Wildlife and dozens of local police and sheriff departments from across the state participate in the program.

Compassionate Use Act[]

In 1996, California voters approved ballot proposition 215, the Compassionate Use Act, legalizing the medical use of cannabis. As a consequence, CAMP's commander, a California law-enforcement officer, was specifically ordered by the state Attorney General to respect the state's medical marijuana laws in the course of his duties. Consequently, CAMP shifted priority to large commercial grow operations on public lands, and coordinates with county authorities so as not to interfere with medical grow operations known to them, which in any event tend to be smaller. Nevertheless, such operations are still against Federal law and are subject to action by the DEA.

While the influence of CAMP has waned since the Compassionate Use Act and later decriminalization of marijuana, there is interest at the state level regarding valid growing permits and environmental concerns. As a result, CAMP is utilized as a policing body, in accordance with the DEA. Yearly CAMP reports, published by the California Department of Justice, Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement (BNE) are available online through Humboldt State University's Special Collections.[2] Beginning in 1983, the annual reports detail the organizational structure and names of individual participants, a summary of the season's activities, tactics, and mention of special successes, trends and hazards.[2]

In popular culture[]

  • CAMP was featured in "Home Grown High", a 1989 episode of 48 Hours
  • The German news magazine  [de] produced a 1995 episode on CAMP operations
  • DEA Special Agent in Charge Javier Peña was the lead DEA agent for CAMP from 2004 to 2008
  • Discovery Channel's Pot Cops followed the Humboldt County Drug Task Force, who works closely with CAMP
  • Hulu's Sasquatch and Netflix's Murder Mountain both feature footage of CAMP in the 1980s and interview marijuana growers and former CAMP officers including CAMP Commander Dale Ferranto, CAMP Officer Mark Saiz and CAMP Officer and former Humboldt County Sheriff Mike Downey

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "Campaign Against Marijuana Planting (CAMP) | State of California - Department of Justice - Office of the Attorney General". Ag.ca.gov. Archived from the original on 2011-03-20. Retrieved 2017-01-13.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b Marijuana Research Collection, Series: CAMP Reports collection =. Arcata, CA: Humboldt State University Special Collections, Humboldt State University.

External links[]

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