Sterling Heights Plans 'Aggressive Crackdown' On Nuisance Marijuana Grow Operations
STERLING HEIGHTS (WWJ) - Has the pot business gotten out of hand in Sterling Heights?
Sterling Heights leaders will announce more details Thursday about what they're calling an "aggressive crackdown" on marijuana growing operations in the Macomb County city.
Neighbors have been complaining of the pungent odor of marijuana from nearby houses and the glare of growing lights at all hours — some at homes of card holders "cultivating large volumes of medical marijuana" both legally, under Michigan's medical marijuana law, and illegally, according to the city.
Officials say there has been influx of growers moving into Sterling Heights, with some pot distributors renting homes for the purpose of growing medical marijuana outside regulations.
On Oct. 11, the city filed its first Circuit Court action against an individual allegedly operating an unregistered grow operation, according to a news release.
Police Chief John Berg, City Attorney Marc Kaszubski and City Development Director Denice Gerstenberg will address the media at 11 a.m. Thursday to talk about plans to abate "nuisance marijuana grow operations" in Sterling Heights and for a "zero tolerance crackdown" on illegal grow operations within in the city.
The state has reported more than 211,000 qualifying patients now grow their own marijuana plants or obtain the drug from nearly 37,000 registered caregivers under the 2008 law.