Drug Cultivation

To cultivate means to grow, tend for, or nurture a plant. In the realm of drug crimes, drug cultivation is most often the growing or nurturing of marijuana plants or cannabis seeds. According to the DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration), marijuana is the only major drug of abuse grown within U.S. borders. In an attempt to counter the spread of cannabis cultivation nationwide, the DEA established the Domestic Cannabis Eradication/Suppression Program (DCE/SP) more than 30 years ago, in 1979. All 50 states now participate in this program.

In 2010, DCE/SP was responsible for eradicating more than 9.8 million outdoor cannabis plants and more than 462,000 indoor plants. 9,687 arrests were made and $34.3 in assets were seized. The DEA may work alone or may coordinate with local and state law enforcement agencies to carry out investigations, arrests and seizures in conjunction with cannabis cultivation.

Sentencing for Marijuana Cultivation

Drug cultivation is a serious criminal offense, particularly when the purpose of growing marijuana is to sell/distribute it. While cultivation for personal use is often charged as a misdemeanor offense in many states, cultivation for distribution may be charged as a felony. A defendant may face imprisonment in a state correctional facility if convicted of a felony. Specific penalties, however, will depend upon the state. The number of cannabis plants discovered and the defendant's criminal history, if any, will also influence the sentence that a defendant faces.

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