A NOT to do tip with Marijuana!

Two plain clothes investigators are conducting business in the local city credit union and a young man enters the small establishment.  Everyone exchanges polite nods, but almost immediately, the plain clothes sergeant is overwhelmed by the smell of marijuana.  Turning to his partner, the sergeant asks the other officer, "Do you smell something?"  The sergeant just happens to be a trained DRE, or Drug Recognition Expert, and the partner officer who is trained and experienced in narcotics, also acknowledges the smell of marijuana.

The sergeant then turns to the young man who had just come in and politely asks, "So, do you have a medical marijuana card to go along with all that weed in your pocket?"  The young man, now stunned, turns to the sergeant with a look of being caught with his hands in the cookie jar and replies, "Uh, no."  The investigators identified themselves, the young man was cooperative, and within minutes was issued a citation for possession of marijuana.

With the recent changes in laws pertaining to marijuana, simple possession of certain amounts of marijuana are now treated as infractions in the State of California.  The topic of marijuana is widely talked about and opinions differ as to the dangers associated with use of marijuana, but we will indeed enforce all regulations in regards to its use and possession.  Please don't be lulled into the belief that simple possession of marijuana is not unlawful.

Two take-aways from this story come to mind: first, don't walk into a public business when you possess and reek of marijuana, especially when the business is frequented by police officers; and second, realize that marijuana laws are still being enforced.