A man wearing a Spider Man mask was spotted absconding with hemp plants from a South Carolina farm last week.
Allison Justice – vice president of cultivation for OutCo Labs – posted images of the alleged heist on her Facebook page. She also reminded would-be thieves that the plants allegedly stolen did not contain tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), only medical grade cannabidiol (CBD).
In other words, anyone who smokes this particular strain of pot in the hopes of getting high is going to wind up feeling let down.
“This plant does not contain THC, you will not get high,” Justice wrote. “It is grown for patients with true medical problems. People are stealing CBD from patients to make a quick fake buck. This is not OK and you will be prosecuted as if it were marijuana.”
Anyway, here are the images posted to Justice’s page of the alleged theft …
(Click to view)
(Via: Provided)
As the images reveal, a masked man in a green T-shirt is seen scaling a fence … with a second image showing a red sport utility vehicle with a trailer leaving the scene.
According to Justice, the property was clearly marked with “no trespassing” signs, along with a large sign indicating it was industrial hemp “NOT marijuana” being grown in the field.
No word yet on whether authorities have apprehended anyone in connection with the alleged theft, but Justice’s company is clearly done taking chances.
“(Armed) guards from now on,” she wrote in response to one commenter.
South Carolina’s fledgling hemp program – approved last year – currently allows a limited number of farmers to cultivate up to twenty acres of the crop. Additional permits will be approved in 2019 and 2020 at forty acres per crop, however the Palmetto State continues to lag behind Kentucky and other southern states in maximizing hemp’s potential.
Industrial hemp is a $600 million a year industry – one that is projected to grow by leaps and bounds in the coming decades. The crop is extremely profitable – generating returns ranging from $500 to $900 per acre. Not only does the plant require little water and no pesticides, farmers love it because it is good for their soil.
This news outlet has consistently supported the industrial hemp industry, and will continue to push for state lawmakers to further expand it – especially in light of the struggles farmers in South Carolina are currently facing.
[su_dominion_video]***
WANNA SOUND OFF?
Got something you’d like to say in response to one of our stories? Please feel free to submit your own guest column or letter to the editor via-email HERE. Got a tip for us? CLICK HERE. Got a technical question or a glitch to report? CLICK HERE. Want to support what we’re doing? SUBSCRIBE HERE.
Banner: Marvel Comics