As more legalization policies include at-home cannabis cultivation, other states still aren't nearly as accepting.
According to US News, an Alabama man, 40-year-old Robert Michael Musick, is facing three years in prison for growing seven cannabis plants in his backyard. He also faces two years of probation. The charge falls under drug trafficking.
When local law enforcement raided his backyard during his initial 2015 arrest, they estimated the plants had the potential to harvest 15 pounds of cannabis.
But what do cops know about weed, anyway? D.A.R.E. doesn't even know how to teach students about drugs anymore in states with full legalization.
During the first trial, a prosecutor emphasized that cannabis shouldn't be illegal, but during the second, Musick was convicted of the trafficking charges.
Some states with recreational cannabis laws enacted allow for home growing your own weed. According to the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, Massachusetts allows for adults to grow up to six plants in their home. However, the policy states the plants cannot be in plain sight of the public. So if the plants are visible to the public, growers could face a $300 charge.
As Jeff Sessions revives the War on Drugs, he and his supports fail to realize the potential of cannabis in the United States. In January 2018 alone, the industry brought in over a billion dollars. Additionally, research has proven state medical marijuana programs have the potential to fight back against the opioid crisis.
