Costly concerns over marijuana raids
Raids at suspected illegal marijuana grows are happening almost every week in our state, most in Pueblo County.
It seems logical for officers to confiscate marijuana from suspected illegal marijuana grows, but what happens after, may be more important.
“If they do take the plants they have to keep them alive,” says Jason Warf, the executive director of the Southern Colorado Cannabis Council. “It’s sort of a little different than any other property, this is medicine people use and it’s only good to them if it’s kept alive and grown properly.”
He points to several cases, including Bob Crouse, an El Paso County cancer patient who was cleared of criminal charges, but the more than a $300,000 in medical marijuana police seized had died. His case is now set to be decided by the state Supreme Court.
Pueblo County Sheriff Kirk Taylor’s deputies have confiscated hundreds of marijuana plants in the past few months and they are not trying to keep them alive.
“If a case comes down the pike and it goes through the courts it will be defended vigorously and we’ll see what the outcome is,” said Sheriff Taylor when asked if he’s concerned about being sued, if one of the suspects is found not guilty and the plants are returned dead.
Warf says that’s a real possibility, “You know if those cases are won, that’s looking to cost Pueblo and the County quite a bit of money.”
Sheriff Taylor points to other case that sides with him and says the real problem is the evolution of laws covering marijuana, and the lack of laws. “There’s so many gray areas and so many holes in the amendments, that currently legislation and law enforcement are trying to play catch up.”
He says there are two solutions. “The only answer in my opinion is to make it illegal again, or you need to legalize it nationally, so you don’t have all these pockets of issues that we have here in Colorado.”
The Sheriff says Pueblo County will not stop leading the way in raiding and busting suspected illegal marijuana grows. In response, the Southern Colorado Cannabis Council has one final thought.
“I would just say be cautious,” says Warf, “I’m sure the taxpayers in Pueblo would appreciate that.”
The El Paso/Teller County District Attorney’s Office is still fighting tyhe Bob Crouse decision. The state Supreme Court is expected to rule on it.
In light of that case, several law enforcement agencies in our state aren’t taking chances, including Colorado Springs Police. They take samples and pictures of plants as evidence, rather than confiscate them and try to keep them alive.
However, if they run into large-scale suspected illegal grows, like we’re seeing in Pueblo County, they would do the same as the Pueblo County Sheriff.
