By: Yuer Li

In the town of Mildura, Australia, the residents reported a mysterious pink glow in the sky. Some people freaked out. Others, like Anne Webster, a lawmaker who represents the area in Australia’s parliament, looked for an explanation.

“An alien invasion? Misplaced northern lights? A solar flare?” No, no, and no. It turns out the glow came from a medical cannabis facility on the outskirts of town. It was unknown until recently, found while testing LED lights. The Mildura facility was known as a grape producer.

They used LED light to prompt plant growth. The company usually used special blackout curtains to block out the lights, but on that particular day, the curtains were left open, giving everyone a light show. The Mildura facility’s interest in cannabis is new.

Marijuana, or cannabis, was legalized in Australia in 2016. Many Australians use the drug for pain, anxiety, and sleep problems. It is extremely profitable, bringing in a revenue of $160 million in 2021. Prescriptions for marijuana have skyrocketed, prompting the government to enforce a lockdown while they vaccinated 95% of the adult population.

Article Link: Secret Australian marijuana facility exposes location after turning sky pink (washingtonpost.com)