DANVILLE --
It wasn't just the marijuana police found at the homes of Ronald Reffett and John Ekiss that got them in trouble with the law. They also face criminal charges for the more than two pounds of ginseng found at their homes.
Reffett and Ekiss face misdemeanor charges of possessing ginseng out of season and harvesting ginseng without a license, as well as misdemeanor marijuana possession and drug paraphernalia charges, said Sgt. Duane Pitchford of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.
State law says ginseng may be harvested only from Aug. 31 to Nov. 1, and then only by people who have a license to do so, Ptichford said.
"At one point it was a threatened plant -- almost endangered," Pitchford said. "It's closely regulated to preserve it."
Ginseng is prized in Asia as a natural stimulant and cure-all and is used in the United States in the health food industry. Wild Illinois ginseng can fetch up to $500 per pound. DNR officials say only about 50 people in the state have licensesto buy and possess wild ginseng .
Acting on a tip, state conservation officers raided Reffett's and Ekiss' homes on Monday, Pitchford said. They found 1.5 pounds of dried ginseng at Reffett's home and between 12 and 16 ounces at Ekiss' home, Pitchford said.
- BY: The State Journal-Register Springfield, IL1996.07.27
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