Subscribe to Print Edition | Tue., May 20, 2008 Iyyar 15, 5768 | | Israel Time: 14:44 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Advertising Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

A Lebanese farmer tending to Cannabis plants. (AP) Last update - 12:33 14/05/2008 As fighting flares up, Lebanese cannabis growers expect a bumper crop By Zvi Bar'el, Haaretz Correspondent Tags: Lebanon, Cannibis For the cannabis-growing residents of eastern Lebanon, recent internecine fighting in the country has been a blessing, albeit one covered in hash resin and dollar signs. To these villagers, gunshots and warfare are good for business, and the last three years have been far too quiet for their taste, leaving the authorities more than enough time and resources to come for their crops. Peace and quiet frees the Lebanese Army to help local law enforcement combat the drug trade, especially in the summer, when soldiers and police are deployed to cannabis fields to rip and cut the flowering stalks of marijuana set for processing and export to Israel, Europe and beyond. Advertisement The army has signaled that it could step up its involvement to bring an end to fighting that broke out last week - the country's worst internal clashes since the end of the civil war in 1990, which has left at least 54 people dead and scores more wounded. The last time the cannabis farmers of Lebanon had such a bumper crop was during the Second Lebanon War in 2006, when the security situation in the country brought anti-drug law enforcement to a halt. With fighting flaring up again in Lebanon, the farmers can expect another marijuana windfall, especially if the army is deployed in force throughout the country's cities to quell the recent bloodshed. Newspaper reports have stated that even in peacetime security forces are often wary of entering the cannabis growing areas, as many of the farmers and their security guards are heavily armed. An investigation by the London-based Arabic newspaper Al-Hayat has found that over 25,000 acres of cannabis were planted in Lebanon this year, an amount that should yield an impressive amount of hashish for the area's farmers. A report compiled by the United States Government in 2003 praised Lebanon's efforts to combat cannabis cultivation, as well as the Syrian government's cooperation in fighting the drug trade. Nonetheless, in spite of the profitability of the drug trade, little improvement has been seen recently in the quality of life of the estimated 180,000 residents of eastern Lebanon Bookmark to del.icio.us   Fear of extinction The state of over 20 species of birds in Israel has worsened considerably. Taking advantage Jerusalem police probe possible gang rape of disabled woman.   1.   bumper crop? 11:01  |  Cpt. Jack 14/05/08   2.   survey says: yeehaw 11:22  |  beni 14/05/08   3.   Dave`s not here 12:38  |  Chong 14/05/08   4.   No bammer please 13:04  |  Purple smoke chaser 14/05/08   5.   The Afganistanisation of the Lebannon 13:21  |  ScotGuy 14/05/08   6.   Strategic timing 13:34  |  Dr D 14/05/08   7.   most of the money goes to hizbullah 13:45  |  don 14/05/08   8.   bumper crop? 13:59  |  dude 14/05/08   9.   Nice 14:22  |  Cheech 14/05/08   10.   "Hizbollah, high on hash...", makes sense. 14:32  |  Stephen. 14/05/08   11.   needs to be smoked by the leaders 14:40  |  dave 14/05/08   12.   Meaningful work for Arabs? 14:47  |  Sam C 14/05/08   13.   What are all the Israeli drug fiends going to do? 15:36  |  *BEN JABO 14/05/08   14.   It`s G-d`s plant? Why are these WEASELS destroying G-d`s work? 15:50  |  *BEN JABO 14/05/08   15.   Ben Jabo, you`re such an ignoramous... 15:51  |  Joe Sittizen 14/05/08   16.   Agree with u dave 16:04  |  Imad 14/05/08   17.   Sam C 16:06  |  Imad 14/05/08   18.   #15 You are correct sir. Israeli drug fiends support TERRORISM 16:15  |  *BEN JABO 14/05/08   19.   they`d be growing during times of peace & war 16:25  |  david 14/05/08   20.   Leb hash... 18:26  |  getsome 14/05/08   21.   Hurray! 18:30  |  Stupor 14/05/08   22.   13 Ben Jumbo 18:44  |  H 14/05/08   23.   PASS THE PEACE PIPE 19:37  |  danny 14/05/08   24.   So this where atilla & shimon ceopas get the good stuff! 21:06  |  seeing clearly-now 14/05/08   25.   They will decriminalise it here in Canada 23:00  |  Robert/Montreal 14/05/08   26.   Happy Days are here again 23:04  |  Abu Nach Nach 14/05/08   27.   the east represents druze not hezb 23:29  |  Sami 14/05/08   28.   Authorities? 01:06  |  Dan 15/05/08   29.   My shout too all south of LEB boarder 01:33  |  Rammi 15/05/08   30.   re Dr D #6 `Strategic timing` 11:40  |  Colin Wright 15/05/08   31.   #20 Leb hash 17:43  |  steve 15/05/08   32.   Leb hash 18:19  |  russell 15/05/08   33.   Now I get it 19:40  |  Dror 15/05/08   34.   Dror 21:54  |  Abu Nach Nach 15/05/08   35.   lebanon not a dictatorship 14:35  |  gelato 20/05/08

Read & React Israel-Hamas truce in Gaza could take effect later this week Responses: 37 Amos Harel: Iran's fingerprints all over Gaza strife Responses: 39 McCain blasts Obama for Iran threat comments Responses: 57 Jerusalem, Petah Tikva ban 'Sex in the City' film adverts Responses: 40 Rosner's Domain Harel & Issacharoff: Can Israel deter Hezbollah and Hamas? What makes Nancy Pelosi pro-Israeli? The hysteria over talking to Hamas (WTR) Poll: Was Bush attacking Obama? Israel, the largest Jewish ghetto? (WTR) More Headlines 13:17 Israel-Hamas truce in Gaza could take effect later this week 13:37 Palestinians: IAF strikes in Gaza kill man and 13-year-old boy 11:51 ANALYSIS: In Gaza conflict, Iran's fingerprints are everywhere 12:57 Ex-Sephardi Chief Rabbi Eliyahu hospitalized in critical condition 12:25 'Sex in the City' adverts banned in Jerusalem, Petah Tikvah 12:55 Al Gore, in Israel: We face a planetary emergency 13:01 Handcuffed burglar killed after abducting Ashdod policewoman 14:37 State Comptroller refuses to discuss Olmert probe at Knesset meeting 12:54 German Muslim sentenced to 3 years in jail for stabbing rabbi 11:52 McCain blasts Obama for saying Iran poses lesser threat than Soviets 11:58 Police to question Olmert Fri. for second time in Talansky probe 02:24 PA sources: Status of kidnapped soldiers delaying prisoner swap Previous Editions Select Day 19 may 18 may 16 may 15 may 14 may 13 may 12 may 11 may 09 may 08 may 07 may 06 may

Special Offers Advertisement Dead Sea Products Buy Dead Sea mineral skin care and beauty products. Coupon code Haaretz for 10% off. Istudy Learn Hebrew in 3 months The Terraces Your Ultimate Coastal Address On Nitza Boulevard, North Netanya Together Celebrating Israel's 60th The Jewish Agency and You - together making history Pardes Institute Summer Sessions http://www.pardes.org.il/ Free the Palestinians from: Corrupt Kleptocracy, Tyrannical Theocracy, Abysmal Anarchy Fattal Hotel Chain Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel. ISRAEL BONDS Build Israel Israel bonds - a multi-purpose way to celebrate Israel's 60th Eldan Rent a Car Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations Junkyard Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt

Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |

Real Estate in Israel

Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.

© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved