Sheriff wants residents to report large pot grows

Says grow laws are confusing, asks for info on large plots

The Montezuma County Sheriff's Office is asking residents to report large-scale home marijuana grows.

"One of the biggest regulatory hurdles in Colorado is the allowance of home grows, loopholes that allow for nearly unlimited plant counts and a lack of regulation of massive grow operations, which often exist in residential neighborhoods," according to the Nov. 25 post on the sheriff's Facebook page."All of these factors combine to create a great deal of confusion to local law enforcement and local governments," the post added.

The post added that it was difficult to determine whether home grows were legal because of "ambiguous laws regarding marijuana cultivation and sales."

Under Colorado law, an adult is allowed to grow up to six marijuana plants at home. No more than a dozen plants are allowed per residence regardless of the number of adults living there.

The law also limits home marijuana production to fully enclosed and locked spaces, indoors or outdoors. Colorado law prohibits the sale of homegrown marijuana.

Several Cortez Journal email requests to elaborate on the Facebook post went unanswered by the sheriff's office.

tbaker@cortezjournal.com