MARIJUANA USE, DISTRIBUTION, STILL PREVALENT

As much as the use of methamphetamine has grown -- authorities in
Sampson County said that arrests on meth-related charges this year
have increased by more than half over those in 2004 -- marijuana
remains just as much of a problem.

Considered by many a drug that leads its users to stronger drugs,
marijuana is prevalent in Sampson County, as can be seen from arrests
and drug seizures made by the Sampson County Sheriff's Office's
Special Investigation Division. In 2005, nearly 100 people have been
brought up on marijuana charges and more than $5 million worth of the
drug has been seized and destroyed by SID agents.

"It's going to always be there," said Sheriff Jimmy Thornton. The
sheriff said that young people often choose to try the illegal drug
in an experimental fashion because they believe the risk, compared to
that of other "mind-altering drugs," is not as great. "They'll still
get that high."

And, the sheriff said, marijuana is easier to obtain and may be
perceived as "not as scary" as other drugs like meth, heroin and
cocaine. But, he said, experimenting with marijuana could lead to
those other drugs.

"It probably starts there," said Thornton.

The SID commander, who acts under anonymity, said that marijuana
serves as a "gateway drug" for a large number of its young users. "A
majority of them start with marijuana," the SID commander said. "Some
go straight to crack, some go straight to heroin.

"A small percentage stay with marijuana," he said. "A high percentage
start there and go on."

The SID commander said he believed that the law has "something to do
with" the number of people who choose to use marijuana.

While being in possession of any amount of cocaine is a felony
offense, one has to be in possession of at least 42 grams (1.5
ounces) of marijuana to constitute more than a misdemeanor. That is,
unless the marijuana is packaged in a way that would indicate it was
for sale or distribution, then a lesser amount could also bring a
felony charge. According to statistics compiled by SID, approximately
$5.3 million worth of marijuana has been seized this year, which is
approximately 530 kilograms of the drug, the SID commander said.
There have been 97 arrests on marijuana charges to go along with the
seizures, statistics show.

And the seizures come as a result of a variety of different
circumstances, whether a lengthy investigation into suspicious
activity or a complaint from a concerned citizen.

Earlier this month, SID arrested a man at his home on Substation
Road, Dunn, following a report of a domestic disturbance at the residence.

Deputies discovered a clandestine lab housing approximately $265,000
worth of marijuana, seized by SID agents. Also seized were assorted
lamps, fans, reflexive plastics, smoking devices, fertilizers and
firearms. The total value of the marijuana, firearms and
paraphernalia at the home was said to be approximately $320,000.

The large amount of marijuana ranged from large stalks to smaller
plants kept in plastic cups.

That, the sheriff said, is how the community can help law enforcement
and play a role in getting drugs off the streets. Reports of
suspicious activity or domestic disturbances may lead to bigger
problems, he said.

"It may identify other problems that may be directly associated with
drug activity," said Thornton. "If people keep calling us, we'll keep
checking it out."

He said that the citizens of Sampson County have played a large role
in notifying the proper authorities to get drugs out of homes and off
streets in the county.

"We're doing a good job, and it's due in large part to them," said
the sheriff, who called those concerned citizens the "sixth player"
for the Sheriff's Office's enforcement team. "Without their help, the
success we've had would not have been accomplished. Their vigilance
helps us learn other things."

Of the $5.3 million worth of marijuana seized by SID, a large amount
- -- more than $4.5 million -- has been seized by SID since the
beginning of November, a month during which the division made several
notable marijuana busts in the county.

On Nov. 6, agents seized and destroyed approximately $4.25 million
worth of marijuana plants found in a wooded area off of Fleet Cooper
Road in the Roseboro area. The seizure of the 1,700 marijuana plants,
some as high as 12 feet tall, was called the largest seizure of
marijuana plants in the county in the last five years.

On Nov. 13, sheriff's deputies arrested two men in connection with
the discovery of approximately $7,700 worth of marijuana in their
Mathis Road, Clinton, home. And, on Nov. 22, about $9,500 worth of
marijuana was seized from inside a Hayne Stretch Road, Roseboro,
residence, with one man arrested in connection with that seizure.

The large presence of marijuana is not just limited to Sampson
either. Duplin County has made similar busts, including one of the
area's largest marijuana seizure in recent memory.

On Sept. 18, Duplin sheriff's deputies discovered a large pot farm
near Wallace, in a wooded area not far from the Sampson County line.
They found stalk after stalk of marijuana plants, some as tall as 13
and 14 feet, over about 20 acres of land.

The marijuana weighed in at more than 4,000 pounds, having a street
value of nearly $10 million, authorities said. No arrests were made
in connection with that seizure.

The SID commander said that, in recent years, the division has
averaged seizures of between approximately $4 million and $5 million
worth of the drug a year in Sampson County.

And this year was no different.

"Any and all we can get off streets in the county, that's marijuana
they can't get," said Thornton.