Rocky Mountain High: U.S. Military Didn't Mean to Grow Marijuana!

By: Edecio Martinez
Topics: Daily Blotter

(AP/CBS/iStockphoto)

Story Contributed by CBS 4 Denver Reporter Shaun Boyd

COMMERCE CITY, Colo. (CBS) Military marijuana? The U.S. Army planned to cover a chemical weapons site with grass and weed – but not the kind of grass and weed that's actually cropping up – the kind that's illegal.

The Army made the unwanted discovery during the cleanup of the Rocky Mountain Arsenal northeast of Commerce City, Colo. Part of the cleanup includes reseeding some areas. But when that seed started to grow, marijuana popped up.

It isn't commercial grade, but it's still an illegal drug. Known as ditch weed or feral hemp, it grows wild in some places.

The army's Charlie Scharmin, who's in charge of the cleanup, was caught off guard by the discovery.

"Not something you expect in an environmental cleanup job," says Scharmin. "It was a little surprising."

VIDEO COURTESY OF CBS AFFILIATE CBS 4 DENVER

Scharmin says the army was finishing containment of two large contamination areas at the former chemical weapons production site, when they laid down rock and clay, and then put vegetation on top. But it wasn't just any vegetation.

"The specification is that we acquire weed-free mulch from the supplier," explains Scharmin.

Weed-free? Not exactly.

The military blames the supplier for the snafu, saying the mulch for ground cover was purchased from a place in Kansas where the low-grade weed is common.

Some of it apparently got mixed in with the grass. So to speak.

The Army made the first discovery of hemp on the property in June. So far they've picked about 100 plants that Scharmin says are low-grade. He says they plan to mow, burn or maybe even have bison eat the rest.

"Fish and Wildlife Service does not seem to have any concern about having bison out there," Scharmin says.

Pass the buffalo wings?

(CBS 4 Denver)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shaun Boyd is an award-winning reporter with 20 years experience. She has covered some of Colorado's biggest stories including Columbine, the University of Colorado football recruiting scandal, the Prof. Ward Churchill controversy and the JonBenet Ramsey murder investigation.

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by slimdave420 September 17, 2009 5:55 PM EDT: Why is the picture of the army logo and pot labeled as a 'stockphoto'? Does this happen often enough to have a stockphoto?; Reply to this comment


by AttentionDeficit September 16, 2009 9:43 AM EDT: Yeah....I "didn't mean" to grow it. That's the ticket.; Reply to this comment

by Triple_J September 10, 2009 3:13 PM EDT

Kind of interesting that the toxic waste site for chemical weapons didn't seem raise an eyebrow, but HEMP! Doesn't that kill you?

Reply to this comment


by earthling76 September 11, 2009 10:58 AM EDT: Excellent observation.


by sugar_maple September 9, 2009 1:45 PM EDT: Wow... Stupid Army. It was industrial hemp, not the psychoactive THC hemp. Although it both should be legal to grow in the U.S.A. Face it, hemp or cannabis is seriously an awesome soil holder. The roots spread and hold the top soil from eroding and blowing away.

Way to go dumba**es!; Reply to this comment


by culturechang September 9, 2009 1:00 PM EDT: The Dod has made a mess of every piece of land they take.

CBS needs to consider the Pinon Canyon expansion proposal where the military wants to take 5 million acres of private land in Colorado for a big military play ground. That is larger than Connecticut.

Once this land is taken by the Army, it will never by returnable to private use again because of unexploded ordinance. It will become a wasteland and then a future site for spent nuclear fuel disposal. Is that what we want Colorado to be?

The Army claims it needs the land for training in the Afghanistan effort. Well, why don?t they take 5 million acres of land in Afghanistan for this training? Why punish American landowners for what the Taliban did to us? We were the ones who were attacked on 9/11. The troops we loose in Afghanistan are to clean up THEIR political mess. We do we have to sacrifice more?

It is long overdue for the US govt to stop looking for ways to punish the innocent citizens for its mistakes and needs.; Reply to this comment