Forest reserve turned into gardens of marijuana

By Ismael Kasooha in Kibaale

The police in Kibaale have discovered huge gardens of marijuana being grown in Kangombe forest reserve in Muhorro town council.

The gardens are estimated to cover three acres of land.

Police acted on a tip-off from some residents that large quantities of marijuana were being grown in Karalike village in the southwestern Ugandan district Kibaale.

Some of the marijuana plants were uprooted and set on ablaze but police could not exhaust all the fields.

The district police commander Kibaale, John Ojokuna Elatu said that it is unfortunate that the drug is being grown in government forest reserves.

“It is indeed saddening that people are growing marijuana in government land reserved for forests and they have completely cleared all the natural cover,” Ojokuna remarked.

He added that police will liaise with the National Forest Authority (NFA) to eliminate the vice.

“We shall team up with the concerned authorities to ensure that people do not encroach on government reserves to grow narcotics,” the police commander explained.

Ojokuna warned that Kibaale district should prepare for mental problems in future due to the high rate at which marijuana is being grown.

Among several other effects, marijuana has been linked to causing mental disorders. 

“This will affect the district in future and government should prepare for counseling experts to deal with problems that are likely to result from this,” he predicted.