Grow-op
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A grow-op is a short term for a marijuana grow operation in which cannabis plants are grown in a (usually domestic) setting, sometimes with the intent of creating large amounts of marijuana for commercial purposes. The term may also apply to mass-growings of magic mushrooms. Although there are significant variations of climate in which cannabis can be cultivated, grow-ops will often make use of hydroponic technology and high power lighting to grow their plants indoors, and thus reduce the likelihood of detection.
In most countries, grow-ops are illegal, and are sometimes disrupted by surprise police raids.
Raiding a grow-op can be a very low risk endeavour compared to other drugs like cocaine , heroine and meth since, for obvious reasons, the operator(s) tend to be "farmers " rather than " drug dealers " and will be far more hesitant to use violence or even deadly force to protect either their investment in the case of a commercial grow-op or their home in the case of a domestic one.
There have been calls for increased police resources to crush such operations with more vigor, while others have called for ending marijuana prohibition in order to undercut the underground market that encourages these operations, as was done with ending alcohol prohibition.
See Also
- UK Cultivators Forum (http://ukcultivator.biz/)
- OverGrow - US Grow-op Forum (http://overgrow.com/)