Apart from the recent exceptions made in certain states, the cultivation and production of marijuana is illegal.
Any action that is directly or indirectly related to the production of marijuana is not seen as lawful. This could be the manufacture of the equipment that is needed to produce marijuana, the offer of assistance to other marijuana producers or the buying or selling of drug paraphernalia. All is enough to be seen as a criminal offense.
What is the crime of drug manufacturing?
Usually, prosecutors cannot charge you with the intent to manufacture without also showing some proof that you had the ability to manufacture drugs. Therefore, they must find you in possession of the drug and with the ability or intent to produce it for sale. In this sense, finding that someone is in the possession of poppy seeds is not enough to constitute an arrest; however, finding grow lamps and other equipment in addition, is enough evidence for an arrest to be made.
What does the federal government say?
The federal and state law has mostly the same stance when it comes to drug manufacturing; however, federal law says that the production of marijuana should be considered in much the same way as the cultivation of Schedule I drugs when it comes to the seriousness and the consequences of the crime.
When it comes to the manufacture and production of marijuana, things are changing fast. Colorado has now made it legal for cultivation for nonmedical purposes. The law is in constant flux, so it is important to learn more about the consequences that you face based on your specific circumstances.
Source: Findlaw, “Drug Manufacturing and Cultivation,” accessed Nov. 17, 2017