The other day I went on the radio to debate the issue of “medical” marijuana. At one point during our conversation, marijuana proponents claimed that the law proposed here in Arkansas requires all marijuana to be grown indoors. We checked and found it only requires the marijuana to be “enclosed” and “locked.” As I’ve said before, a cattle pasture is enclosed and locked, but it is by no means “indoors.”
Today, in looking over information from Maine, we have found proof that Arkansas’ marijuana proposal would allow users to grow their marijuana outdoors–such as in their backyard.
Maine’s marijuana law uses the exact same definition of “enclosed, locked facility” where marijuana is grown as Arkansas’ proposal does. Right now, the Maine Department of Health and Human Services acknowledges this includes outdoor cultivation, and is considering regulations to restrict it–please note “restrict,” not “outlaw.” A lot of marijuana users are not happy about this.
Among other things, the new rules would require marijuana growers to enclose their marijuana with “a privacy fence at least 8 feet high that completely obscures the view of the contents of the enclosed area and is sufficient to deter theft and unauthorized intrusion,” and to use sensible locks on the entrances. These restrictions are by no means unreasonable, but they’re creating quite a stir, and they prove that if Arkansas passes Issue 5 this November, people will be growing marijuana outdoors (such as in backyards and fields), not just in greenhouses or specialized facilities.
Danny Draper