LAW ENFORCEMENT ON THE LOOKOUT FOR ILLEGAL MARIJUANA

The Clinton County Sheriff's Department said arrests like the one
made last month in relation to medical marijuana cardholders growing
more than legally allowed under the Michigan Medical Marijuana Act
have risen and believe they will likely continue on that path.

On [redacted] was arrested and charged with manufacturing marijuana
after they found him in possession of 37 marijuana plants. As a
medical marijuana patient, he is allowed 12.

Det. Sgt. Fritz Sandberg with the Clinton County Sheriff's Department
said the department has made five arrests at three different
locations in the past month. Prior to that, he said they haven't had
any in about a year.

"The tips are just coming in," he said. After the department made one
arrest, he said calls with tips on others continuously come in.

He said a vast majority of the tips have been of illegal indoor grow
operations and not legal medical marijuana users. He said he expects
more of these arrests to come.

Several of the cases in Clinton County have been medical marijuana
patients growing more than the law allows, Sandberg said, which is a
problem that can easily be avoided.

"If they are compliant with the law, it's not a problem," he said.
"We are going to follow up on tips and if you're not complying we're
going to arrest you."

Shiawassee County Sheriff George Braidwood said he doesn't get
complaints, but said that doesn't mean it isn't happening.

"They're happening everywhere. We're just not getting the complaints," he said.

The fact medical marijuana patients and caregivers have the right to
remain confidential makes it hard for authorities to know where they
reside. Owosso Public Safety Director Mike Compeau said they haven't
received any complaints, either.

However, many investigations of that nature are done by the
Mid-Michigan Area Group Narcotics Enforcement Team (MAGNET).

Lt. Jim Wolfe of MAGNET, which oversees Gratiot and Shiawassee
counties, said his group investigates around two or three indoor
marijuana grow operations per week. When it comes to medical
marijuana grow operations, he said more often than not they are legal
operations. If they are not conforming, it is either someone who is
growing more than they are legally allowed or someone who just simply
doesn't understand the ambiguous law.

Wolfe said some individuals believe a plant didn't qualify as a plan
if it were under 12 inches in height, which is untrue.

He also said in many cases the patient will possess much more than
the 2.5 ounces they are allowed under the law, in part because one
marijuana plant could produce up to two or three ounces. Patients are
allowed 12 medical marijuana plants.

Wolfe said he didn't see the home-based medical marijuana grow
operations as a problem in mid-Michigan, but instead said the law
needs to be reviewed.

"I think a majority want to do the right thing. I really do," he
said. "The biggest problem is the ambiguous issues with the law."