Cop tips for cannabis growers
2006-12-23 14:30
Athens - Wannabe cannabis growers in Greece have received an early Christmas gift from a Greek police report on narcotics that gives a wealth of information on the drug, from price tips to processing.
Readers of the report learn that cannabis is sown between February and March and is harvested three months later, and are given details on how to dry, sift and press the leaves.
"Good quality processed cannabis (hashish slabs) should be malleable when pressed...whereas that which contains impurities shatters," the report notes, adding that greenhouse-grown cannabis usually commands a price three to 12 times higher than outdoor cultivations.
Cannabis oil "which has a long duration and is made by boiling processed cannabis with an equivalent amount of fat and water" has been used instead of cooking butter to make sweets, the report adds.
All this helpful information comes from the Greek police department's latest annual report on narcotics, which includes statistics on arrests and drug seizures and was posted on the public order ministry website this week.
"It's well-written, lively, and useful in case cannabis prices go up - hurry up and read it before it's taken off the site," Greek daily To Vima jibed on Friday.
Police in 2005 impounded over 10 tonnes of processed cannabis, mainly from Pakistan, an increase of over 40 000% over the previous year.
Eight tonnes of non-processed cannabis were also seized, mainly from Albania.
Both possession and trade in narcotics are illegal in Greece, though the latter carries much heavier penalties.
Users face sentences of up to one year in prison, while dealers can be imprisoned for life, depending on the type of drug and the volume involved.
Cannabis cultivation was legal in Greece in the late 19th century, with growers even exporting to Egypt and Germany before plantations were banned in 1920.