86 Year Old Grandma Arrested For Growing Pot
By Ann LeFlore
@poehere (15126)
French Polynesia
August 22, 2017 12:42am CST
Over the weekend the police arrested an 86 year old grandma for growing and selling pot. She told the police how do you expect me to live on 200 dollars a month? I worked all my life, raised 8 children and 15 grandkids. My retirement went from $650 a month to $200. They claimed that the money they took from me was needed to support parents with children who don’t work.
How fair is it when a family has 6 children and each child receive $150 a month. The social services on the island pay each parent $150 a month per child. These parents have no incentive or desire to work. All they have to do is have another child to receive extra money.
The grandmother was living in a home falling down with a leaky roof, no electricity, no hot water, and basically no food. She was watching TV at her son’s house last year and saw how rich the drug dealers were on the islands. This gave her an idea to start growing pot plants. She was desperate and in need of medical attention, her home fixed and food on her table.
The police raided her home last week and took out 300 full grown plants. Grandma was sentenced to 20 years in jail. Her last remark as they took her away in handcuff was this:
At least now I have 3 meals a day, medical benefit, a roof over my head, and a hot shower. That is more than I had before.
The law is the law and it is illegal to grow and sell pot on the islands. Everyone around the islands is talking about this poor grandma. She seems happy from the interviews we have seen on TV from the jail. She says that everyone is so nice to her and she has a great roommate.
Desperate times call for desperate measures. Not sure if I could ever do what she did.
If you had no other choice left would you grow and sell pot? For me the answer is simple. No I wouldn’t. I would go and live with one of my children first.
20 people like this
19 responses
@vandana7 (98834)
• India
22 Aug 17
I think we need to stop giving support to those who just do not contribute to the economy but have kids. I am speaking from Indian perspective because we already have more population than we can feed, clothe, shelter, educate, employ and take care of in old age. Time our policies changed and changed drastically.
2 people like this
@DaddyEvil (137142)
• United States
22 Aug 17
That is exactly what I said, too, vanny! (Well, up until you started talking about things only in India... )
1 person likes this
@DaddyEvil (137142)
• United States
27 Aug 17
@poehere Everybody who has a kid gets money from the government? Whether the parents work or not? Where is the sense in that?
Hmmm... @topffer Do people in France get money from the government if they have kids, whether they need the money or not? (It is possible I am misunderstanding something here, too, Top. I am just trying to understand how something like this could happen.)
1 person likes this
@Morleyhunt (21737)
• Canada
22 Aug 17
That isn't the first time a senior has used the penal system to take care of their retirement needs.
2 people like this
@poehere (15126)
• French Polynesia
22 Aug 17
I have heard of this before. However, I don't think this was her intention to do this. She said she knew she was wrong but was having fun. She was angry with the system when she first started out and then saw how much money she was making. She told the reporter that she only wanted enough to live on and fix her home. Then it because a hobby for her and she just continued. I'm not even sure how much of that is true. She had to have had others working with her. She couldn't of done that on her own. She is protecting them and not telling who they are.
@m_audrey6788 (58485)
• Germany
22 Aug 17
I am speechless..Where are her 8 children?
Why they didn`t even check on her? I can`t blame her thinking that way as she was left behind on her own..
Why they didn`t even check on her? I can`t blame her thinking that way as she was left behind on her own..1 person likes this
@poehere (15126)
• French Polynesia
22 Aug 17
From what I understand only her son and daughter are here on the islands. Some of her children left Tahiti to join the military and they are living in France. While a few of them have moved to another island or other places because of work and finding jobs for them.
@Letranknight2015 (51532)
• Philippines
22 Aug 17
If her jail inmates were good to her, then there's no problems. At least even though she's in jail, she's comfortable living over there.
1 person likes this
@poehere (15126)
• French Polynesia
22 Aug 17
I really won't call it comfortable living. She is in the new women's prison and it is nicer than the older one. But to be licked in a cage till you die isn't my first choice in life.
@poehere (15126)
• French Polynesia
22 Aug 17
You are so right. It is awful what has happened. She knew she was breaking the law. Furthermore, there had to be people helping her. There is no way she did this on her own. It was a big plantation and took a lot of work. She refuses to tell anyone who was helping her. I think if she did she wouldn't be in jail right now. She is protecting someone or others in this.
1 person likes this
@poehere (15126)
• French Polynesia
23 Aug 17
@LadyDuck She had no idea how to grow this, dry it, and sell it on her own. She had to have help in this. I guess she is a loyal person and whoever helped her should be glad she didn't turn them in. I just hope they will visit her and put some money in her account at the prison to help her out from time to time.
1 person likes this
@andriaperry (116860)
• Anniston, Alabama
22 Aug 17
If I had to grow and sell pot I would move to a state that it is legal and do just that.
2 people like this
@velvet53 (22528)
• Palisade, Colorado
29 Aug 17
I would if I had to for survival but only in a legal state.
Bless her heart. It is wrong what they did to her as she was only trying to survive. Hats should go off to her for making that effort. The younger people could get a job but why would they if they make that much off their children.
At least she is warm now, has three meals a day, clothing and bathroom facilities. I feel sorry for her but also happy as she has no more worries.
@poehere (15126)
• French Polynesia
29 Aug 17
It is a sad turn of events for her. They won't tell us the entire story of what is happening or what made her do this. I feel bad they gave her so many years in prison. Maybe 3 would of been good enough for what she did. I guess it is based on how many plants she was growing and selling.
1 person likes this
@poehere (15126)
• French Polynesia
29 Aug 17
@velvet53 I think it is to force her to come clean about the other people who were helping her. Nobody ever gets that much. Normally it is like 5 years. They knew there was 4 people involved I think so, she is getting all their jail time. She still won't talk.
1 person likes this
@averygirl72 (37726)
• Philippines
29 Aug 17
That's an interesting news. Poor grandma she made a poor decision
@TiarasOceanView (70035)
• United States
23 Aug 17
The system is so unfair..she only had $200 to live on. The govt is not taking care of the elderly in that place.
@TiarasOceanView (70035)
• United States
23 Aug 17
@poehere It is a sad shame. She had no medical care and not enough money to live on..that does not show a good system for an older citizen to keep their independence.
@Tampa_girl7 (49013)
• United States
27 Aug 17
I can't help but feel sorry for her. . I would only grow it if I was liscensed to grow it for medical purposes.
. I would only grow it if I was liscensed to grow it for medical purposes.
@just4him (306386)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
23 Aug 17
I can feel her desperation! I wouldn't do it either.
@ridingbet (66857)
• Philippines
23 Aug 17
and i thought MJ was grown for her medicinal benefits; sl she was a peddler?i don't think it was wise for her to plant some pot, and i should say she deserved the time in prison but i don't. i am sad because her age should not be sent to prison already. i hope there are other people who will help her in her living alone.
@poehere (15126)
• French Polynesia
26 Aug 17
@ridingbet She had over 300 plants growing and around 150 drying. This is not for medical use I am sorry.
1 person likes this
@poehere (15126)
• French Polynesia
23 Aug 17
Her large family grew up and many moved away to France and the other islands. The law is the law and she did break it. It was sad that she had to do this in order to survive each month. There is really nothing we can do here to help her. I just hope the people that were helping her grow and sell this will come forwards and take the blame. It is a shame that she is taking the blame for all the others involved in this. She couldn't of done this one her own.
1 person likes this
@ridingbet (66857)
• Philippines
26 Aug 17
@poehere i agree with you. but maybe if the MJ that she planted is for her own medicinal use only, i think the punishment will not be severe.
@Sreekala (34312)
• India
22 Aug 17
I don't blame her, see her age and what can she do for her needs? I know law is law and a crime is crime. Personally I won't do such things for earning money. But I support her considering her age and situation. She must live under the care of children or grandchildren. WIth the absence of these, what she can do?
@poehere (15126)
• French Polynesia
22 Aug 17
One of her children wanted to take her to France to live. She refused to go. Her daughter here has asked her to live with them for some time now. She refuses to go. She said this was her land and her home and this is where she wanted to live and die. She is strong willed and didn't tell her children what she was doing. They were shocked when she was arrested. Nobody had an idea of any of this.
1 person likes this
@allknowing (130064)
• India
23 Aug 17
The law is against her but not people going by the kindness the other inmates show to her. Those inmates are there because their way of life has been such that they think she has done no wrong
Anyway the old lady seems has got a good deal such as three meals and a hot shower
I do not think I would against the law. I read somewhere this woman sold her body just to feed her children. Wonder if that was right.
Anyway the old lady seems has got a good deal such as three meals and a hot shower
I do not think I would against the law. I read somewhere this woman sold her body just to feed her children. Wonder if that was right.@poehere (15126)
• French Polynesia
23 Aug 17
I agree with you. It was a bad deal all the way around. I am sure if they had left her money alone, she would have never done this. But, now it is too late and she was caught. Selling your body for money is also a crime and no mater what you will suffer in the end. Even if it's for good intensions, it still turns out badly.
1 person likes this
@jstory07 (134477)
• Roseburg, Oregon
22 Aug 17
She seems to be happy in jail with three meals and a roof over her head.
@nanette64 (20364)
• Fairfield, Texas
22 Aug 17
That is sad that she had to resort to doing that @poehere but really, the outcome for her is a good one. It does upset me that 'her children' were not helping her.
@poehere (15126)
• French Polynesia
22 Aug 17
From what her daughter said she had no idea. She would go to see her mom and she said she was fine. I guess her mom never told her anything at all. The police believe she was acting alone and someone had to help her do all this. She won't say who was helping her or how it all started. In a way I think she was relieved it was over. I am not sure one way or the other because she really isn't saying that much.
1 person likes this
@Hannihar (129481)
• Israel
29 Oct 17
So did she do it on purpose so she can have a place where she would have 3 meals a day? She is 86. That is so sad. Instead of arresting her they should have had all the leaks fixed and everything fixed in her house and pay her.
