Why Cannabis Consumers Are Forced Into the Black Market

What happens when a person wants to use cannabis for personal or medical reasons despite restrictive laws? They're pushed into the black market, forced to deal with criminals. These consumers aren't criminals in any meaningful sense—they're simply people seeking a plant that's far more therapeutic than toxic.

The logic is circular: the law labels someone a criminal for consuming a substance that the law itself deems harmful. Yet clinical research and historical evidence consistently show cannabis has significant therapeutic value. Meanwhile, alcohol and tobacco—both legal and subsidized—kill hundreds of thousands annually. No documented death has ever been attributed solely to cannabis use. The "drug war" exists only because of criminalization, and its victims are often the consumers themselves.

Guerrilla Growing: A Path to Independence

How can consumers distance themselves from the black market? One solution is guerrilla growing—cultivating cannabis in remote, undeclared wilderness areas. This approach requires careful site selection long before planting.

Choosing the Right Location

The grow site must be difficult to discover yet accessible enough for maintenance. It should never have been used for agriculture, as farm equipment or surveys could expose the crop. Thorough reconnaissance across all seasons is essential before committing.

Two Critical Factors: Light and Soil

Sunlight: Cannabis demands abundant light. More sun means larger plants and better yields. A hidden spot that receives little sunlight defeats the purpose. In the northern hemisphere, a south-facing slope is ideal—the sun rises in the east, arcs across the southern sky, and sets in the west, providing full-day exposure.

Soil Quality: Forest floors covered in needles and leaves are typically nitrogen-poor and unsuitable. Cannabis thrives in healthy, nitrogen-rich soil amended with sand, perlite, or similar materials for drainage and aeration. In most cases, the grower must improve the native soil substantially.