Is marijuana good for the environment?

Why do sometimes the things you love most cause the worst problems? Sugar, chocolate, coffee, salmon and rice are among the most harmful crops to the health of the planet. Climate change is already impacting crops, countries (Maldives) and dramatic weather conditions.

The environmental impacts of alcohol are observed throughout the production and consumption chain and include the depletion and degradation of water resources, greenhouse gas emissions, soil and air pollution, and waste production. But is large-scale marijuana cultivation good for the environment? Although it is not as harmful to the planet as sugar, almonds and coffee, there are currently issues surrounding legal and black market crops.

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Both are responsible to varying degrees for environmental damage, experts say, and may be contributing to pressure on Earth’s “safe operating space.” Concerns include impacts on freshwater supplies, threats to biodiversity, changes in land use and potentially huge CO2 emissions contributing to worsening climate change. Since cannabis currently remains a Schedule I drug, people in non-legal states are encouraged to illegally grow marijuana in covered forests and mountains or to engage in logging operations deep in the forests.

Photo by Flickr user LASZLO ILYES

Black market farmers use enormous amounts of energy to run lights and regulate the right temperatures to grow their crops. Shining a light on marijuana growers would allow them to adopt more environmentally friendly practices like green energy on solar farms.

New York is particularly tempting for the illegal cannabis business. This is partly due to the problematic introduction of legal recreational marijuana. Critics say excessive regulations and a complicated licensing process have hampered legitimate efforts. There are a significant number of cultivation operations to support the 1,500 unlicensed dispensaries.

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Colorado set standards in 2015. Boulder County has adopted rules requiring licensed growers to use 100 percent renewable, sustainable energy when growing. Anyone who cannot meet the requirements for space or financial reasons must pay into an energy compensation fund. A portion of these funds will go toward educating farmers about adopting energy-reducing practices. States can adopt similar practices when collecting taxes from marijuana sales and set aside a portion of the revenue for environmental or conservation projects.

When government officials in California discover illegal cultivation, they destroy the crop. And they aren’t afraid of it either. Environmental Magazine shared that law enforcement officials tend to be overzealous when it comes to destroying illegal marijuana plants. They spray the plants and land with harsh herbicides like glyphosate.

Federal legalization would open up traditional agricultural areas and provide the opportunity for more climate-friendly soils and less reliance on “grow factories” that harm the environment in multiple ways. Growing cannabis indoors is energy intensive, mainly due to heating, ventilation, air conditioning and lighting. Energy consumption leads to greenhouse gas emissions.

While the use of cannabis as medicine may be the focus of legalization discussions, its impact on the environment should not be overlooked.