Annoyed by someone's pot smoke? Tell that person or a landlord, not police. Officers no longer care about about home tokers or growers.
"If it's just the smell and odor we're hearing about, that’s not enough" to act, Police Chief Chuck Nebus of Farmington Hills tells the Free Press, which speaks with eight Metro Detroit law enforcers about a new era in Michigan.
The state Friday began letting recreational marijuana growers and sellers apply for business licenses. Sales begin next year, and any adult now can grow up to 12 plants at home for personal use, thanks to a statewide ballot proposal passed last November.
"We all smell marijuana more than we used to," a state police lieutenant says.
(Photo: DepositPhotos)
"We haven't investigated a marijuana case in more than a year," Oakland Sheriff Mike Bouchard is quoted as saying. The Freep also notes:
Most departments aren’t actively patrolling for pot smokers in public. ...
[Clinton Toiwnship] officers won't be checking to see whether people are growing more than the permitted number of plants at their homes or looking for people who are smoking pot in public, which is illegal under the new law. If they get caught red-handed, however, the smoker will be issued an ordinance violation ticket, [Chief Fred] Posavetz added.
State Police Lt. Michael Shaw echoes the hands-off consensus:
“It's not anything we’re looking for. We all smell marijuana more than we used to.
"But you can't smoke in public. We do have statewide jurisdiction and if we see something, it would be up to the trooper to decide on what to do with that."
In their three-county roundup, Kathleen Gray and Christina Hall also address impaired driving.
Police departments, which have long been training to recognize the signs of high drivers, are preparing for more marijuana users on the road.
Use the link below to see what local forces are doing.
