The National Marijuana Initiative
Information & Education About Marijuana – Funded by the Office of National Drug Control Policy
Category: Environment
The Environmental Impacts of Marijuana
What are the impacts & hazards of marijuana grown in national forests & public lands? Watch a video here about threats & concerns.
Read MoreDr. Mourad Gabriel – Environmental Impacts Expert
Our colleague, Dr. Mourad Gabriel, is the subject of a recent feature article by bioGraphic, a part of the California Academy of Sciences. Dr. Gabriel is the executive director of the non-profit Integral Ecology Research Center (IERC), and is affiliated with…
Read MoreIllicit Water Use
Marijuana is a water-intensive crop to grow, using approximately six gallons of water per plant per day. Grow sites often illegally divert water from rivers and streams, and lay miles of illegal irrigation tubes. At just one illegal grow in…
Read MoreDeforestation and Erosion
Many people illegally growing marijuana place their grow sites in forests, particularly in California. These areas, often public lands, are difficult to reach and hard for law enforcement to monitor, making them good for concealing the growers’ activities. But to…
Read MoreHigh Energy Use
Growing marijuana indoors requires very large energy inputs. A 2012 study estimated that marijuana growth in the United States accounts for one percent of the country’s energy use; that’s $6,000,000,000 worth of energy! In states with particularly high production, marijuana…
Read MoreEndangering Animals
Marijuana production can have several adverse effects on animal habitats and populations. Illegal growers often use pesticides, insecticides, and rodenticides, which can kill more than just the intended targets. Rodenticides have been especially harmful, particularly in national forests in California,…
Read MoreDangers of Pesticide Use
More than one recent scientific study has found that chemicals used in the illegal cultivation of marijuana are having harmful consequences on animals in the surrounding areas (see links to these studies below). Many people growing marijuana use pesticides to…
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