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CONTINUING COVERAGE: MARIJUANA It's not all legal: Rogue Valley police still seizing marijuana There's still a black market demand for Oregon pot By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune Posted Nov. 11, 2015 @ 2:30 pm By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune Posted Nov. 11, 2015 @ 2:30 pm » Social News p bs:newslist StartDate="20121121" EndDate="p bs:datecalc Months="3"" DateSort="1" UseObjects="1" ObjectClass="81" Taxonomywords="2325,665" ExactTaxonomyMatch="1" Image="1" Count="4" --> Legalizing recreational marijuana hasn't rendered pot seizures a thing of the past, thanks to lure of the black market in other states. Medford Lt. Kevin Walruff, who oversees the interagency Medford Area Drug and Gang Enforcement task force, said 248 pounds of marijuana destined for the black market and 325 plants have been seized so far this year, figures comparable to years past. "I wouldn't say there's an increase or a decrease," Walruff said. What has changed, if only slightly, is the agency's primary target. Walruff said police now see larger-scale operations hoping to sell marijuana outside the Oregon border. "We're looking for those people who are exporting it," Walruff said. For individuals who've grown more than the law permits, the agency has the right to seize the excess amount, he said. But marijuana grown with the intention of selling on the black market out of state is a different matter. "If somebody's selling it outside the rules, we're going to wind up seizing everything," Walruff said. Walruff said the agency is holding people accountable and seeking out people exporting marijuana or skirting the laws on the state's books. The new law, which made recreational pot legal for adults starting July 1, "really hasn’t changed anything,” Walruff said. “Whether recreationally or medicinally, they cannot send it out of the state.” Walruff said the marijuana seizures that remain are from people who clearly know that they're out of bounds. "By the time they have a grower's license or a grower's card, they know what's allowed," Walruff said. Demand is greater in states without medical or recreational marijuana laws on the books, and some see opportunity. “People export marijuana to any places where they can make more money,” said Medford police Chief Tim George. “That’s the business they’re in.” Walruff said that with more than 5,200 growers in Jackson County, most in the county are on the level. Overall, Walruff, said the seized marijuana that was grown outside the law represents a small percentage of the total amount produced locally. "If you look at the grand scheme of things, with 5,000 growers, that's really not an exhausting amount of plants or weight," Walruff said. George said the department has seen a slight increase in cases of driving under the influence of intoxicants overall, but added it's too soon to say whether that increase is tied to changes in marijuana laws. George didn't have figures broken down based on intoxicant — whether drug, alcohol or a combination. "I would suspect that trend will continue," George said. The holiday season is typically the time the most DUIIs are logged, and in preparation George said the department has 10 drug recognition evaluators on staff. "We are prepared for that trend," George said. George considers legalization laws to have had little effect on the amount of access to a substance in plentiful supply currently in its harvest season. "You didn't need dispensaries to get your weed," George said, speaking about marijuana's abundance and availability. "There's no shortage of marijuana." George believes that legalization occurred for Southern Oregonians long before Oct. 1, when people could purchase small amounts at dispensaries in nearby towns, or July 1 of this year, when Oregon allowed individuals 21 and older to possess up to 8 ounces of usable marijuana and four plants. Instead, George says that pot essentially became legal in Southern Oregon after voters approved medical marijuana laws in 1998. He cited that Jackson County has the second-highest number of Oregon Medical Marijuana Program card holders in the state, behind only Multnomah County. "We are 'marijuana central' here in Southern Oregon," George said. "We're fast becoming a destination." Because there was already so much marijuana in the community prior to legalization, Medford police Lt. Mike Budreau said, the change for patrol officers has been "negligible." Budreau said the department has received approximately 20 calls about marijuana odor, and occasional but infrequent calls about people smoking marijuana in public. Reach reporter Nick Morgan at 541-776-4471 or [email protected]. By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune Posted Nov. 11, 2015 @ 2:30 pm » Comment or view comments Terms of Service /* $( document ).ready(function() { // Jquery mobile is trying to style the button and leaving a blank gry button on top of a white button $("#viafouracoms .vf-comment-controls li.vf-right").html(' Submit '); });*/ » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. 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