Only Paradise for Pot Growers Leaving as Fast as I
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5/18/2014
I have lived in Paradise for 25 years and owned a home here for 20 years. Up until about 5 years ago it was truly paradise, a small, safe town surrounded with lakes, beautiful parks, rivers, you name it. I am not sure what happened but the town council wrote up a ridiculous marijuana growing ordinance which allows people in our once lovely, safe, peaceful neighborhoods, to grow a ridiculous amount of pot. Neighborhoods have come to look slummy, gangs are moving in slowly, and the entire area wreaks of pot, much of the year, so badly that it literally burns one's throat to go outside. Myself and many others I know do not even go in their yards too much of the year due to the stink. Pot growers are guarding their grows, yes in residential neighborhoods, with guns and attack dogs. The town reports low crime, that is because the police do not care about the drug houses popping up in neighborhoods throughout the town. The police and the county do not care about the pot grows and the danger they pose to their neighbors. It is no longer safe here and it is getting worse very quickly. Some misguided people in the town's leadership may think all the pot growing is going to bring them a lot of money. One need only open their eyes to see the damage to our neighborhoods, schools, and the future of our children. There will be a large social cost for all of this. In the long run the taxpayers that remain will be paying much in taxes to support the welfare roles, the medical expenses from all the drug abuse, social services, child protective services etc etc. I have lost a ridiculous amount of money in trying to keep the stink out of my house, asthma med, increased energy costs because I cannot open my windows to let the cool air in due to the stink of the pot grows that permeate the neighborhood. My property is worth far less of course. One need only look around this once lovely neighborhood to see the dramatic change.
If you want to grow pot in a town that does not care how much you grow or the harm your drug operation does to your neighbors and the community, the harm done to the wildlife and environment, then paradise is the place for you.
If you want to raise a family, live in a peaceful community, if you value being able to sit on your porch and have a cup of tea, if you want your children to have friends whose parents are not pot growers, then stay far away from Paradise at this time.
I do not believe the town council or anyone will come to their senses until this community is in dire straights financially as hardworking taxpayers move out and welfare collecting, non-taxpaying pot growers (making hundreds or thousands of dollars a year through their illegal drug businesses) move in. I am sad to leave Paradise but the pot smell is nearly year round now and is making me quite ill. I have unwanted visitors coming to my house at 11-3 in the morning speaking unintelligibly, undoubtedly mistaking my house for one of the drug houses that surround me. As a hard working taxpayer however, views and experiences like mine do not matter at all here. Only the pot growers have power here. I just pay a ridiculous amount in taxes so the pot growers can collect welfare and get free medical.
A River Runs Through It | Paradise, CA