C.O. law enforcement seeking list of medical pot grows

Deschutes County law enforcement officers want the Oregon Health Authority to hand over a list of all the registered medical marijuana grows located in the county.

The letter, which District Attorney John Hummel and Sheriff Shane Nelson sent to the state on Feb. 7, states law enforcement officers’ hands are often tied when it comes to enforcing manufacturing and cultivation laws because it’s difficult for them to determine if the site is following Oregon’s medical marijuana program.

The district attorney’s office asked Carole Yann, section manager of the Oregon Health Authority, to release a listing of all registered medical marijuana grows sites in the county and provide an updated list every three months.

Hummel said in the letter the information will help county law enforcement officials to enforce county and state laws when it comes to medical marijuana grows.

Oregon has 20,000 medical marijuana grows and 984 of those are in Deschutes County.

As we reported Tuesday, Oregon Health Authority didn’t inspect a single medical marijuana grow in the county last year.

Jonathan Modie, communication officer for OHA, told NewsChannel 21 on Wednesday that the department has received the letter from “the Deschutes County district attorney and is reviewing it and plans to respond soon.”

Sheriff Shane Nelson said he hasn’t heard from the OHA yet but wants the list so his agency can be proactive and make sure those medical marijuana grows are following the laws.

He said his agency will have deputies go to those marijuana grows, to make sure they are in compliance.

“One of the things our office wants to do is approach the county commission an ask for an additional full-time employee,” Nelson said. “That deputy sheriff can than focus on being proactive, as far as marijuana crime goes. One person is not going to be enough, but it’s a start.

Nelson said the state doesn’t have the manpower to enforce marijuana laws.

“The state of Oregon has let the citizens of Deschutes County down,” he said. “The state of Oregon does not have enforcement to insure that medical marijuana grows are complying with the rules and regulations and they defiantly don’t have the enforcement numbers to insure recreational marijuana grows are complying with the rules and regulations.”

Nelson said he doesn’t want any more recreational marijuana grows in Deschutes County until the state can get a handle on any surplus marijuana.