PORTSMOUTH — People are growing medical marijuana indoors all around us, but police have no idea of knowing who they are, where they’re located or how many plants they’re cultivating.

That was the gist of a presentation a representative from the state attorney general’s office made to the Town Council Monday night. Joee Lindbeck, assistant attorney general, provided an overview of the impact that medical marijuana and decriminalization of the drug has had on local communities, as well as in other “legalized” states, over the past decade.

Ms. Lindbeck said in Rhode Island each marijuana cultivator is allowed to grow up to 24 marijuana plants and sell them wholesale to dispensaries such as the Greenleaf Compassion Center on West Main Road. 

Under state law, however, the addresses of the cultivators cannot be revealed. That, along with the fact they’re growing indoors, complicates matters for local municipalities and law enforcement, she said.

“So we have no idea of knowing who is growing marijuana in their house and whether they have 24 plants or 600 plants?” asked Council President Keith Hamilton, who expressed concerns that some marijuana is being sold illegally on the side to children.

“That’s correct,” said Ms. Lindbeck, adding that “we know it’s going on our streets.”

A community usually doesn’t know where a particular growing facility or butane hash oil lab is located “until something happens,” she said. One such incident involved a Coventry lab that caught fire because of overloaded electrical sources — a common occurrence, she said.

Mr. Hamilton said the last thing he wanted was to have a firefighter running into a burning building with no knowledge that marijuana or butane hash oil was being produced there. “It scares me that one of these guys is going to lose their life because somebody is making a buck through our kids,” he said.

After the meeting, Police Chief Thomas Lee acknowledged that police once “stumbled across” a legal butane producer due to a safety issue. 

“We had to get the Fire Department down there. It was potentially a life-threatening situation,” Chief Lee said.

Why no business license?

Council member Kevin Aguiar questioned why a marijuana cultivator isn’t considered to be just like any other business that requires a license from the town. Mr. Hamilton replied that the town doesn’t register wholesale licenses, but theoretically if a cultivator is selling a product it should be regulated.

Another council member, J. Mark Ryan, said the state should be regulating the cultivation of plants due to growers’ use of chemicals and pesticides.

Ms. Lindbeck urged council members to bring those questions and others to state lawmakers. She also recommended they review how other municipalities in Rhode Island have confronted marijuana from a zoning and licensing standpoint.

“I think there’s a lot of avenues for explorations,” she said.

Chief Lee said he thinks Rhode Island “jumped the gun” in decriminalizing marijuana and making medical marijuana so readily available. “The lack of regulation really bothers me,” he said after the meeting.

Ray Davis, coordinator of the Portsmouth Prevention Coalition, said the presentation gave the town a lot to chew on. 

“Our kids are telling us it’s easier to get marijuana than it is to get alcohol. There is so much available now,” he said.

Police receive accreditation

In other business Monday night, the Police Department was recognized for being awarded with accreditation from the R.I. Police Accreditation Commission (RIPAC).

Middletown Police Chief Anthony M. Pesare, vice chairman of RIPAC, said the honor means that the local department is operating in a manner that reflects current best practices for law enforcement. “It is indeed a great accomplishment,” Chief Pesare said.

Christine Crocker, executive director of RIPAC, said accreditation is important because it keeps a police agency moving forward rather than becoming reactionary.

“You’re getting some of the best that law enforcement has to offer, right here in Portsmouth,” she told the council.

Police Chief Thomas Lee accepted the award on behalf of the department and praised Sgt. Maryanne Perry for “taking the bull by the horn” in leading the local accreditation process.