The people of Ratubu in West Coast Namatanai of New Ireland province uprooted a total of 680 marijuana plants in the past week. This follows a 7 days operation which ended on Friday 13, Jan. This was a grace period to allow those involved to uproot plants with the support of community leaders. After the grace period, police will be involved and any plants found not uprooted, then arrests will be made. From the 680 marijuana plants, 34 were matured enough and ready for sale while the rest were young and medium plants. Ratubu ward elder Tomuga Malagen said youths were heavily involved in drug cultivation and were growing marijuana like any other ordinary plant around their homes and food gardens. “There is lack of police presence in our area including government officers to do more awareness on such illegal activities. Youths no longer have respect for ward leaders,” he said. “Our youths that are using marijuana cultivation to make a living must be aware of the destruction this herbal plant is causing. It will destroy the future generation,” Mr Malagen said. Meantime village court chairman for West Coast Patar Mission Balamaris said marijuana cultivation is widespread with youths planting and smoking at the same time. “Even some families are making money from this illegal business such as growing and selling marijuana, which is very sad, because there are other positive options to look into,” Mr Bulumaris said. As village court chairman, he gave a stern warning to people cultivating and selling marijuana to stop what they are doing because it is illegal and affects people’s health. Mr Bulumaris has recently referred two drug suspects to Namatanai police but nothing has been done about it. Two gas cylinders used for producing homebrew were brought in. All the uprooted plants have since been burnt. A committee is now in place to monitor this illegal activity.