Campaign Against Marijuana Planting

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Created in 1983, the Campaign Against Marijuana Planting (CAMP) is a multi-agency law enforcement task force managed by the California Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement and composed of local, state and federal agencies organized expressly to eradicate illegal cannabis cultivation and trafficking in California. With more than 110 agencies having participated, CAMP is 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's Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement, 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 Department of Fish and Game and dozens of local police and sheriff departments from across the state participate in the program.

[edit] 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, has been specifically ordered by the state Attorney General to respect the state's medical marijuana laws in the course of his duties. Consequently, CAMP has shifted priority to large commercial grow operations on public lands, and coordinates with county authorities so as to not interfere with medical grow operations known to them, which in any event tend to be smaller. Nevertheless, as these medical grow operations remain fair game to the DEA and subject to federal prosecution, they continue to require secrecy.