How careful is necessary to stay out of the eyes of the law?

[Kayjan]

Is signing on to this forum enough to catch their eye??
Is searching various topics on google incognito enough?
Is taking pictures with my phone enough?
Is sending a picture enough?

I dont know where the line is between safe and paranoid. It’s my first go round and I have questions, but without telling people around me, the internet is my only resource. But I’m a mom, wife, homeowner, and I’m very sick. I have a lot to lose but also very little to give. I’m scurrred.

[Smerft85]

Generally speaking, just searching related items, talking about it aren't going to cause you any amount of police involvement. I think most places aren't real worried about a pot head or two, they have bigger fish to fry and we aren't generally the ones breaking into places, stealing or causing harm. Unless you live in a highly restrictive area on cannabis I dont really see you having problems with a plant or two. I understand the concern being a cannabis growing parent, kids have absolutely been removed from their home for things as minor as a soiled bong, but my children know it as daddy's flowers, or daddy's medicine, they have no idea its demonized just as much as its supported. As for posting pictures, there are pictures of thousands of plants on this forum alone, nevermind the rest of the web, there are youtube growers that show their faces plain as day and I dont see harm coming your way over pictures posted here. A picture on your phone is just that, a picture! Authorities would have to seize your phone to see them in the first place, then they would have the burden of proving you have broken a law. Your concerns are justified paranoia, if you live in a place a seed is a felony, keep it under wraps and hidden if you go through with a grow (posting pics and questions here is pretty safe!) And if you live in a grow friendly area start small, dont need undue attention for one extra plant than allowed, and the best point by far you made, keep talk of it to anyone local to a minimum, I have a small handful of people who know I grow, everyone knows I smoke but I'm in a legal state.

Keep in mind, anything outdoors is visible from satellite images. I have an app and can see both my grow, and my best friends grow plain as day, but you gotta be looking for it.

[BR2K]

I have to admit, I'm pretty paranoid. It was a MAJOR leap of faith for me to invest in cannabis production.

I try to keep a fairly low profile. I only post photos if it's pertinent to my question(s). I try not to volunteer personal information.

I feel moderately safe but there are no guarantees. It is and will remain a risk, until Cannabis is legalized worldwide.

One tip - Turn off geographical tags, before you take photos with your phone.

You have an AWESOME resource, with both the GWE tutorial site and this forum. I have found most people (especially the regulars) will bend over backwards to guide you to success. Welcome and GOOD LUCK!

[dphipps1020]

I agree with the above. I'm also in a grow friendly state (Colorado) so I tend to worry a little less than some, even though I'm a little over my plant limit. If you're not, you should be fine as long as you're not blasting it everywhere. This site I have posted lots of pictures and details, etc without too much worry. For some of us I feel like it's almost a sanctuary, a place we can come for a few minutes and escape and look at weed porn. I honestly feel like they have better things to do than worry about small grows anyway. Welcome and happy growing.

[Xena]

How you described yourself fits me perfectly if you change it to dad and husband. This is coming from the US, I’m not sure how other countries would respond. You sound exactly like my wife. When she found out I ordered seeds she went full on paranoid and I told her that I would take full responsibility and swear she had no knowledge of anything if the feds wanted to put a task force together and raid us because we might be growing 3 or 4 plants. I live in a no legal state too and I honestly believe as long as you don’t do something like try selling and keep your grows small then they don’t care about you, hell they’re shooting each other at a record pace all across the country they don’t care about us small self smoke growers. Just IMHO.

[SoOrbudgal]

I don't worry about the cops i'd worry about " strangers " come in and smell it. It's who's your neighbor or ??

[Rwise]

SoOrbudgal I have a lead based spray I use for "strangers"!

[RagWeedDWC]

I live a state that has not legalized, I'm not going to buy from the corner guy and I'm to fricking old to worry about the law. I Fish, I grow pot, lie to my neighbors and try to get along. (I think I got the stink fixed!!)

[Smerft85]

I agree with the above. I'm also in a grow friendly state (Colorado) so I tend to worry a little less than some, even though I'm a little over my plant limit. If you're not, you should be fine as long as you're not blasting it everywhere. This site I have posted lots of pictures and details, etc without too much worry. For some of us I feel like it's almost a sanctuary, a place we can come for a few minutes and escape and look at weed porn. I honestly feel like they have better things to do than worry about small grows anyway. Welcome and happy growing.

Hello neighbor!

[dphipps1020]

Hey there

[growell]

dont tell anyone if for own use mask the smell and read up on the law were u are in uk 7 plants is possesion in pots the other stuff i wouldnt worry this site is great lot of knoledgable people who will help u will get less worried as time goes on also when buying things check decibell levels things are noisey if u got it in house and people coming round hope this helps try not to worry u make yourself worse

[Rwise]

Its only been legal here a couple of years, before that I grew in the wilds, the LOEs new I grew. One told me if he could find it he would pull it. I gave him directions to the gate, and from there your on your own. They walked right through the marker patch that was 20 feet tall, I mean they had to push the plants to the side to get through the patch! They had no idea what they were looking for! Thats how it was here in crook county

Know your laws and the people that enforce them, and their attitudes, tell no one ('cept maybe those you have known forever), this site strips geo data from pics, ask lots of questions here

[420chicano]

Ooooooh I am telling !!!!

just teasing ...trust me nobody cares with all the shit going on these days in the world !

your Good!!

[UndergroundFarmer]

Don't worry. It seems cops are too busy raiding backyard okra gardens to find the real thing growing in a locked closet. Just don't talk about your garden to anybody who doesn't need to know about it and absolutely don't let the smell escape your house.

I joined a NORML chapter in my state in time for a push for a constitutional amendment to allow medical sales and home grow. In a more ordinary year, we would be voting on recreational weed this November. Organizing and getting petitions signed is a bitch right now with COVID-19, but it can't last forever.

[homegrown]

Tell no one what your doing, invest in Good Large carbon filter and fan(overkill is always better than going out to buy more shit when you realize the cheap ones dont cut it). As far as laptop,desktop,phone, get a Good anti virus with internet security, and invest in a VPN( i can run off servers all around the world.) Even if they wanted to find me..my ip address is 3-400 miles away from my location. Also use this for my streaming TV..

[BR2K]

The profession of law enforcement is subject to human nature, same as the rest of them. The easier you make it for them to charge you with a crime, the more likely they will do just that. I make it point to visit my local "Booking" site. It's filled with marijuana offenses...almost always connected with an automobile.

Bonus question: What Chevy Chase movie is the line "Cops have the best weed" from?

[UndergroundFarmer]

Foul Play?

[BR2K]

UndergroundFarmer - WINNER!!!

[AccidentalGardener]

I'm new at this too and if you opened a dictionary to the word paranoid, you'd see my smiling mug.
I have MS, and I'm keeping it small. I'm in a legal recreational/medical use state, but I'm not gonna pay someone a bogus fee -on the YEARLY - to get a bogus piece of paper that says I can legally grow my own medicine when the Feds could knock my door down anyway. Ridiculous. I can grow what I need without that stupid piece of paper, and a lot less people know about it. The smell could be an issue without the charcoal filter, but because I/we have cannabis around all the time, my place smells dank no matter if it's growing or not, lol. Misdirection is a great tool
Law Enforcement has their hands full. They are not interested in busting sick people, my friend. They want the bad guys, and that isn't us.

Aside, but still funny: I managed uneventfully to take two vape pen cartridges to Alabama. It was coming home when things got interesting, but I didn't know it until I was already home. Opened up my bag and found a note from TSA. Something in there got them so hot and excited they missed the THC cartridge I was taking home (left the CBD one with my 82 yr old stepmom).
The next morning, I discovered they'd done a few field tests out on the tarmac...on my denture cleaner.
LOL.

Breathe a bit. The people here will help you if they can. It's a good community.
Welcome