If Maui County follows the trend of anti-GMO legislation that is sweeping across Hawaii, marijuana growers will be vulnerable to strict new penalties. The most potent strains of marijuana grown in Hawaii are bred using a technique called “genome doubling,” which, under the Kauai’s recently passed law, is identified as a type of genetic modification. Marijuana growers, just like any farmers growing GM crops, will be forced to register exactly what they are growing and where, or face civil fines up to $25,000 per day, per violation. Failing to register within sixty days after the end of the previous year could lead to jail time.
For police departments and prosecutors, “the challenge will be distinguishing genetically modified marijuana while in the field.” Information online about strains of marijuana grown in Hawaii, which come from Canada, provides authorities with “a handy way to identify suspected GM strains of marijuana in the field.” Fines could then be calculated based on expert testimony about the age the plant, racking up between $400,000 and $1,000,000 for a single mature 40-day old plant.
Read the full, original story: How to Use Anti-GMO Ordinances to Seize Marijuana Plants: A Guide for Police Departments
