# DEA roadsigns...urban legend? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 16, 2002, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dea-roadsigns-urban-legend/132426 "2002-10-16T00:23:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Krispy\_Original](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ec9cab/32.png) [@Krispy\_Original](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Krispy_Original)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2002, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dea-roadsigns-urban-legend/132426/1 "2002-10-16T00:23:38Z")
Friends tell me that marijuana has suddenly become much more difficult to find in southwestern Ohio. Some of these same friends also tell me that they have heard that there are roadsigns in Ohio that say: “If you think it’s dry this month…just wait until next month!” …they attribute these signs to the DEA (drug enforcement agency) Is this true?..do these roadsigns exist? ---
**Author:** ![Church\_Key\_Kid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Church\_Key\_Kid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Church_Key_Kid)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2002, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dea-roadsigns-urban-legend/132426/2 "2002-10-16T01:14:59Z")
Well, nobody in this thread: [http://www.overgrow.com/edge/showthread.php?threadid=189107](http://www.overgrow.com/edge/showthread.php?threadid=189107) or this thread: [http://smokedot.org/story/2002/9/1/82756/19043](http://smokedot.org/story/2002/9/1/82756/19043) can seem to supply a picture of one such roadsign, even though they all claim to have seen them. Note that they very in what they claim to see, as in “Wait until November!”, “Wait until December!”, “Wait until Christmas!”, etc… Also note that this is not new. If you go to [http://unreasonable.org/drug\_policy/marijuana-growing.html](http://unreasonable.org/drug_policy/marijuana-growing.html) you will see a Usenet post discussing this very same billboard. However, the post is dated Sept 1991! Most likely an urban legend, until somebody actually produces an undoctored photo. ---
**Author:** ![Krispy\_Original](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ec9cab/32.png) [@Krispy\_Original](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Krispy_Original)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2002, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dea-roadsigns-urban-legend/132426/3 "2002-10-16T01:39:34Z")
Thanks fatdave…interesting links dude. ---
**Author:** ![5-HT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/f19dbf/32.png) [@5-HT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5-HT)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2002, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dea-roadsigns-urban-legend/132426/4 "2002-10-16T01:44:08Z")
I keep hearing the same thing here in Detroit. I have also heard that it is very difficult to find weed right now(though supposedly coke and ecstacy are everywhere). It was discussed on a detroit area club scene board I’m on, and (of course) many people claim to have seen them, but no one can supply a picture(or even a mile marker number). probably a UL. ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2002, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dea-roadsigns-urban-legend/132426/5 "2002-10-16T01:50:28Z")
I went through page 1 of the linked thread and not interested in wading through page two & three, so somebody tell me why the DEA would care about erecting signs on roads that attempt to give rain forecasts. ---
**Author:** ![Church\_Key\_Kid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Church\_Key\_Kid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Church_Key_Kid)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2002, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dea-roadsigns-urban-legend/132426/6 "2002-10-16T01:59:39Z")
Just as a sidenote… In the interests of keeping this thread open to see if there actually exists such a billboard, please don’t turn this into a “Where’s all the weed? My town is dry!” / “No it isn’t, just look harder!” thread. As we all know, using or buying marijuana is illegal. Talking about billboard is not 🙂 It’s not even my thread. I just really want to know if a billboard exists! ---
**Author:** ![Sofa\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/58956e/32.png) [@Sofa\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sofa_King)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2002, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dea-roadsigns-urban-legend/132426/7 "2002-10-16T02:13:45Z")
I do recall the _Great Drout of 1986 Or Was It '87, Dude?_ All that summer, whichever it was, the DEA was trumpeting its success in reducing the domestic marijuana crop. It was really hard to score. Local TV stations even had news stories about it. Nevertheless, come harvest time the cover of High Times proudly proclaimed “The Drout is Over!” And was it ever, at least in the DC area. All kinds of really potent foreign stuff showed up at the same time that this pressed crap arrived, driving the price of both into the basement. I gave out chunks of Mexican pressweed for Christmas. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2002, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dea-roadsigns-urban-legend/132426/8 "2002-10-16T03:36:50Z")
Back in the days when it mattered to me, it always amused me that folks were always surprised at the shortage in November and December. The substance is a crop, like cantoloupes or asparagus. After the season, there’s a shortage. Well, duh. The folks who stored some for December will get the best prices. It’s basic economics. Of course, winter here is summer in the Southern Hemisphere ---
**Author:** ![Sofa\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/58956e/32.png) [@Sofa\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sofa_King)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2002, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dea-roadsigns-urban-legend/132426/9 "2002-10-16T17:32:23Z")
Um, I’m sorry. The important thing about that non-anecdote is that I distinctly remember the same DEA sign rumors circulating–in the late '80s. Even more disturbing, neither of my posts in this thread were composed or submitted under the influence of illegal substances. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2002, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dea-roadsigns-urban-legend/132426/10 "2002-10-16T18:19:03Z")
Another lucky bastard receiving residuals. ---
**Author:** ![Bongmaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Bongmaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bongmaster)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2002, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dea-roadsigns-urban-legend/132426/11 "2002-10-17T16:17:44Z")
I can confirm the sign exists on interstate 95 in Philadelphia. It reads: “If you think its dry now, wait until Christmas.” DEA I am a regular smoker who has been doing so for the last 7 years. It is so dry right now people are paying outrageous amounts for stuff. There is definately something going on, and I’m glad others are seeing it too. I’d love more detail on this if anyone knows more. ---
**Author:** ![Bromley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4da419/32.png) [@Bromley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bromley)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2002, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dea-roadsigns-urban-legend/132426/12 "2002-10-17T17:33:31Z")
Like we’d never have guessed that from the name 😉 . Seriously, any links to pictures of these signs? ---
**Author:** ![Baron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9de0a6/32.png) [@Baron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2002, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dea-roadsigns-urban-legend/132426/13 "2002-10-17T18:03:53Z")
I just had another friend “swear” that someone told him about the same sign on I-95 south of DC. I heard the same rumors sometime in 1996, except I was in Blacksburg, VA, and the person claimed the signs were on I-81 south near Tennesee. I call BS unless I see a picture. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2002, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dea-roadsigns-urban-legend/132426/14 "2002-10-17T21:48:33Z")
[Snopes calls BS too, Dood!!](http://www.snopes.com/crime/cops/dea.htm) ---
**Author:** ![neutron\_star](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/51bf81/32.png) [@neutron\_star](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neutron_star)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2002, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dea-roadsigns-urban-legend/132426/15 "2002-10-18T06:10:51Z")
Snopes is wrong. It sure isn’t the first time either. I wonder why that site garners such respect on this board. Common sense and logical approaches to problems are all nice and good, but all too often Snopes declares something untrue with absolutely no cites or proof of any kind. Such is the case in this example. It’s not like the guy is quoting DEA agents claiming they did nothing of the sort. He’s quoting newsgroup postings and telling us why he thinks they’re false. That’s no different from what anyone in this thread is doing, and should carry no more weight. All I can tell you folks is that I’ve seen the billboard. It was on University Avenue near where it intersects with Pinhook Road in Lafayette, LA. It said “If you think it’s dry now…Wait until next month.” It went up about 6 or 7 months ago. The last time I drove by there about three months ago, it was still up. I’ll drive by tomorrow and see if it’s still there. Hopefully it didn’t get replaced or blown away by the hurricane, because I’d really like to get a picture, if only to send it to Snopes and tell them to stop being so damn sloppy. ---
**Author:** ![neutron\_star](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/51bf81/32.png) [@neutron\_star](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neutron_star)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2002, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dea-roadsigns-urban-legend/132426/16 "2002-10-18T06:15:57Z")
And no, I realize that the billboard doesn’t make much sense, and really has no effect other than intimidation. But, honestly, we’re talking about the DEA here, people. This is the same agency that once confiscated 17 truckloads of Canadian hempseed bound for a **birdseed factory** in Kentucky. Logic isn’t their strong suit. ---
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2002, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dea-roadsigns-urban-legend/132426/17 "2002-10-18T06:54:04Z")
Ummm, I’m pretty sure they do exist. I know _I_ saw something along the lines here in South Florida a few months ago. I can’t remember exactly what it said, but it was definitely similar to what’s being said here. When I saw it, I _intended_ to remember about it and tell my friends about it, but it totally slipped my mind until…a friend of mine just mentioned seeing one the other day! IF it’s true and I and my friend aren’t having delusions, and IF my friend remembers where it was, and IF it is still there, I will most certainly get a picture from all kinds of angles in order to satisfy the skeptics, Snopes included. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2002, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dea-roadsigns-urban-legend/132426/18 "2002-10-18T07:04:38Z")
Spare us the rant, and just show us the picture. And while we’re on the subject of empirical proof: > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by neutron star \* > \*\*Snopes is wrong. It sure isn’t the first time either. I wonder why that site garners such respect on this board. Common sense and logical approaches to problems are all nice and good, but all too often Snopes declares something untrue with absolutely no cites or proof of any kind. \*\* Cite? Better yet, multiple cites, with contravening evidence. ---
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2002, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dea-roadsigns-urban-legend/132426/19 "2002-10-18T07:28:53Z")
Not that this is any sort of proof or anything, but it goes more towards attempting to explain the DEA’s motivation: > [@](#): > > \Does anyone know about the sign on 45 near Houston, that has a pot leaf on it and says “If you think it’s dry now, wait until October” . Apparently it also has “DEA” on the sign. > : Anyone aware of this? > > \There is an identical sign here in Minnesota on our major freeway, 35W. It’s been the buzz here so a friend of mine spoke to some cops about it. One of the cops was actually nice enough to let us in on what he knew: Apparently these signs are a scare tactic by the DEA. The sign’s target audience are those people who cultivate and harvest marijuana, letting them know the DEA is aware of activity in the region. They hope it makes growers nervous enough to make them think twice about transporting their goods. I found this here: [http://www.spoonfedtribe.com/wwwboard/messages/761.shtml](http://www.spoonfedtribe.com/wwwboard/messages/761.shtml) …along with a lot of other anonymous confirmations. Some versions include a marijuana leaf on the sign. _If_ they do exist, I suspect we’ll soon have the straight dope. ---
**Author:** ![neutron\_star](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/51bf81/32.png) [@neutron\_star](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neutron_star)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2002, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dea-roadsigns-urban-legend/132426/20 "2002-10-18T07:31:14Z")
Well, I thought [there was one](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=139201&highlight=snopes) just within the last week, but it appears that since I last checked this thread, Snopes updated their site. Basically it _was_ an urban legend…until someone actually did it. Of course you’ll have to take Snopes’s word that someone did it, because, unlike the poster in the SDMB thread, they didn’t link to any other account of the event. They did, however, link to a movie in which the urban legend was mentioned. Helpful… As for the site you linked to in this thread, it’s nothing more than idle speculation. The phone number for the DEA is **in the phone book.** You’d think the least the guy could have done was call them up and ask them if they’d ever done anything like that. You know, an official statement. Two minutes of research. Instead, he proclaims it false based on little more than how he thinks things should be. If that’s all the work he was willing to put into the piece, maybe he should have declared it undetermined, but, based on his flawless logic, it just had to be false, so it was. Just seems a little arrogant to me… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dea-roadsigns-urban-legend/132426.md?page=2)