YOUNG PEOPLE RAIDING VICTORIA HEMP FARM

VICTORIA - A hemp farmer near Victoria is busy dealing with curious
pests. Hordes of young people have taken to raiding Vern Mitchell's
four-hectare hemp field, located in a rural area north of the city.
Mitchell recently called in the police after he saw one youth carrying
six large bags of his crop.

Hemp has recently been introduced as an experimental crop on Southern
Vancouver Island.

It is not as potent as marijuana but smells and looks like the
popular, but illegal plant.

Police recently charged a 22 year-old man with theft after nabbing him
at Mitchell's farm, and suggested Mitchell build a fence around his
crop.

Checked-by: Rich O'Grady