DRUGS AND ZONING

An unknown side effect of drug prohibition is the building code blackmail that protects the rural planter of illegal herbs. This blackmail also protects the labs cooking up illegal substances.

FIRST, SOME BACKGROUND:

Almost everywhere in the US, cities and counties have zoning laws. These laws are necessary to prevent greedy, unethical, and stupid people from doing things like building a feed lot so close to town that the smell sometimes makes breathing unpleasant.

Part of these zoning laws is ALWAYS the requirement that any new building meet the building code standards, usually the newest national building code. (Building codes require grounded wiring, hot water in every dwelling, etc. They also require plans, sign off by structural engineers, etc.)

THE RESULT:

Many rural people ignore the building code when they are adding on to their farm house. This is especially true in the more remote areas.

So those planting and cooking illegal things tell the farmer that they will turn the farmer in for building code violations if the farmer complains to law enforcement about ANY illegal activities.

Code enforcement does not get involved in building code violations unless someone complains. Once the complaint is made, the farmer has to bring the building up to code or tear it down. I have even seen code enforcement refuse to listen to experts regarding WHEN the building was built. (An old building, built BEFORE the code went into effect, does not have comply with the building code.)

BOTTOM LINE:

Our rural people with little money are being truthfully told, "Shut up about our illegal operation or lose your house."