Legally Growing Marijuana is Child Abuse?

Today in Colorado, a couple is facing felony child abuse charges for allegedly growing marijuana in the home where they live with their three minor children.

Amber Wildenstein and Joseph Lightfoot are facing one count of child abuse each for having a marijuana grow operation in their home where the live with their three children. Even though the couple is legally registered in Colorado’s medical marijuana program, it is still considered a felony to manufacture any controlled substance on a property where a child is found, resides or lives, and marijuana is still considered a controlled substance.

If they had a license to manufacture Percocet, would they still be facing the same charges?

Advocates of medical marijuana say this is nothing more than an attempt by the Denver Police Department and the Colorado’s District Attorney’s Office to persecute medical marijuana users because they disagree with the current medical marijuana law.

“The Denver Police are trying to send the message that you will have your children seized even if your medical cannabis is legal under state constitution,” said Riah McBee in a press release for Medical Marijuana Family Advocates Cultivating Truth.

The Colorado District Attorney’s office said in a statement by Lynn Kimbrough, “the state must carry out the laws on the books. It was pretty clear that the circumstances in that home had put the children at risk.”

Both defendants are free after posting $50,000 bond, and will be in court today for preliminary hearings.