LA PINE, Ore. (AP) — From dusty towns to forests in the West, illegal marijuana growers are taking water in uncontrolled amounts when there often isn’t enough to go around for even licensed users. Conflicts about water have long existed, but amid a severe drought, illegal marijuana farms add additional strain on the precious resource. In Oregon, the number of illegal grows appears to have increased recently even as the Pacific Northwest this year endured its driest spring since 1924. Illegal grows continue to proliferate despite legalization in West Coast states.
Illegal marijuana farms take West’s scarce water
