Richard Vetstein reports [2] landlords are smokin' mad because the law passed by voters this week lets people with medical conditions grow a two-month supply of weed at home if they can't get to one of those dispensaries the law allows. Homegrown pot could mean mold, water damage, fires from improperly wired grow lights and even an increased risk of burglaries from thieves looking for a quick hit. And then there are the feds:
Bay State landlords are also concerned about running afoul of federal drug laws as marijuana remains an illegal drug under federal law. Landlords are begging Beacon Hill lawmakers to give them the right to refuse to rent to tenants who grow pot for medical use over fears their property could be seized. As reported in the Boston Herald, commercial and residential landlords are right to worry, drug forfeiture attorneys say, because landlords can be charged as conspirators if their tenants are targeted by the feds.