Tourists from Mexico are reportedly heading to the United States in hopes of earning some money as illegal workers in the cannabis farms throughout California. Described as "a migratory trend," the influx of young Mexicans who are on their tourist visas has taken advantage of the marijuana harvest season to earn quick and easy cash in a few weeks.

Most of those who make the trip to the United States head towards the Emerald Triangle in Northern California, which is known to be the biggest cannabis producing region in the entire world. The Emerald Triangle consists of Medocino, Humboldt and Trinity counties.

David, an anthropologist from Mexico, confirmed the existence of such a trend, participating in it for six weeks during a visit to the United States. His trip was borne out of a search for adventure rather than a need for money, but the opportunity to earn some bucks through easy -- albeit, illegal -- work was also welcomed.

During his time working in a cannabis farm, he noted there were a lot of Americans and Europeans who were doing the same thing. However, an increasing number of Mexicans have been participating in the "Emerald Dream." The anthropologist revealed that most of the tourists working in the Emerald Triangle are travelers hoping to make money and continue being on the road.

The salary of the farm workers are not set but relies on the employer as well as the amount of marijuana harvested during the day. In general, the employees can take home between $150 to $400 per day or up to $8,250 in a single month. Some of the owners are relaxed towards their workers, even letting them enjoy the cannabis in the farm.

"The bosses tell you: 'Smoke what you want,'" David shared. "At the beginning, I smoked and smoked, like a kid at a toy store, but then you notice, the more you smoke, the less you work and the less you produce."

However, there are also downsides to the job, including the earning's reliance on the fluctuating labor demand as well as the lack of security and safety of the workers. It has reportedly become a common occurrence to be held at gunpoint and threatened with the police when it's time to collect payment. Organized crime has also been a growing problem in the region.

Meanwhile, in the country of Mexico, the buzz surrounding the legalization of marijuana has been growing louder as the government is the considering the prospect. A national debate was held recently and four more debates are in development until April, before a United Nations conference on drug policy.