YOUR COMMENTS

Marijuana has been endorsed by the American Medical Association as having medicinal value.

Every year hundreds of thousands of people die from alcohol and tobacco.

NOBODY has ever died from Marijuana.

Don't believe me? Look it up. Google Califano Report Marijuana.

Oh by the way, WHO should own YOUR body? You or the state?
- Bob C, Grafton ,NH

If she was selling marijuana to turn a profit then she should be punished somehow, big fines, couple months jail ect... If she was growing marijuana for herself or a family member than this has been a big waste of my taxdollars, and the police should be held accountable and someone should be fired. Im sick of our prisons being populated by marijuana users and small time local drug sellers. How long is this crap going to go on for! A 55 year old lady, that is probably sweet as can be, gets busted for growing pot? Its not like she had a meth lab. I WANT MY TAXDOLLARS BACK for your 6 month investigation, and the 7 hour search.
- Paul, berlin

I own a home nearby. I am sure she was growing them for medicinal purposes only.

Marajuana use is so widespread and accepted by the general public that I would only look at this as a small nuisance crime.

If she was living on the other side of the country it would be acceptable. My only question is did she report this as income on her tax return?
- Edward, Mountain Lakes Estates, North Haverhill, NH

If MA legalized medicinal marijuana and a way to regullate it like over a dozen other states thungs like this wouldnt happen nearly as much and i for one am hoping for medicinal Marijuana in ma
- Josh Ulan, Westfield MA

6 month long "intense and involved" investigation. What a huge waste of money. To the people who thrive on fear mongering asking "what if she is selling this to my children or grandchildren" I'd much rather they buy it off this lady then the thugs in the projects.
- Bill, Andover

"Her arrest capped a six-month investigation that Dutile described as "intense and involved" by his officers and state police. It began as a tip to his office and ended after a seven-hour search of the home Friday afternoon."
HA,HAAA,HA,HA................ It was a tip! by a very
jealous person. They make it sound like they really did something big, the only big thing was spend YOUR tax dollars..... Ha, Haaa,Haa......
- Johhny D., Derry, NH

She picked the wrong drug. She probably could have made more money by opening up a store and selling beer, wine, smokes, and lottery tickets.
That's a dumb criminal!
- Bill, Manchester

you don''t know this women personally. Yes she was an RN but decided not to work. She let her license lapse. This was her decision!!

I have read all the comments and am surprised to see most of the posts are about whether we should be legalize pot. It is NOT now, and should never be. Someone asked about the difference between smoking pot and giving your kids medicine for ADHD. Well here goes. First you don't need any medical knowledge to purchase pot, don't have someone to tell you the side effects of the drug (you actually enjoy them), and you are not regularly checked for toxic levels in your bloodstream. these are all different levels of care if you actually needed medication for ADHD. Oh and by the way just try to get some of the medications with out a doctor's prescription. Bet you get BUSTED too!!
- chj, woodsville nh

Trish has a great heart, she is a very nice lady BUT she screwed up. It doesnt matter if you all feel pot should be legalized, it's not. The law is the law. Someone made the comment that the police should think before arresting someone because arresting someone over a case like this is wasting our tax dollars. That is their job and it is their job to the community to prevent crime and punish those who break the law. Law enforcement officials do just that, enforce the law they do not make the laws so back off of them.
- Megan, Woodsville,NH

"Poor lady"? She was a registered nurse and her mother used to work as a guard at Grafton County House of Corrections. This has been a long time coming and I applaud the officers involved.
- DJ, Lisbon

RH, It would not end up in your son's hands unless you GIVE it to him. Who is the nitwit?
- JJ, Manchester

The only thing newsworthy and cool about this article was the picture of the "Secret Bookcase" Nice- I got to get me one of those to hide my stash.
- Tom, Concord

To:- Brian, Farmington

It was against the law to throw tea into Boston Harbor but our forefathers had the insight and courage to see this law as ludicrious and against our basic freedoms of individual rights. Now its pot, next will be ?????. This country was built on the basis of fair trade, individual responsiblity and less government. In fact, our forefathers were rum runners of the worst sort if you listened to those who have control problems. Wake up, our freedoms have been paid for with blood of hundreds of thousands of men and women who don't want nor need to be controled by government. Lets be realistic, the last three Presidents smoked marijauna and snorted cocaine. We now follow their lead so drugs can't be all that bad for society but certainly can be for people with addicted personalities. Of those with such personalities, laws mean nothing and they are already addicted to their drug of choice. There is nothing we can or should do to erase their drive other than therapy and dealing with their individual internal pain. To make them criminals is criminal.
- Jay, Concord

Pot will be legalized within the next ten years.
- Rebecca, Bethlehem

I'm not going to whine about this woman being arrested since she did break the law. But I don't think that the laws regarding marijuana in this country make any sense. If you feel that the government should reform marijuana laws then please contact your local and state elected officials and let them know how you feel.

And how can it take a 6 month "intense and involved" investigation to arrest a this single person growing a measly 100 plants. There are hundreds if not thousands of people growing marijuana in their homes and on their property in this state alone and this arrest has zero impact except for the negative impact its going to have on this woman's life. It's a joke, but I'm not laughing.

Wake up America.
- AK, Barrington, NH

oh the humanity
- Bill, Andover

David, did you not read the part where it said her home was PAID OFF and she was living DEBT FREE? I am very sure that is more than you or most people can say.
- Marie, Moultonboro


well, if they can prove she paid for the house with drug money, then they should confiscate it and sell it to someone who doesn't break the law!
- fpc, bedford

At least the pot heads up in Haverhill were buying local:)

While I am not a pot smoker, and I do believe pot CAN be a gateway drug - I believe it is a gateway drug because you need to deal with unsavory characters to obtain it.

Why not tax it and use the revenue to fund drug and alcohol treatment programs.
- MS, Melrose, MA

Good to see the Usual Suspects, the drug addled and 420 friendly nitwits waging war on the war on drugs while bemoaning the War on Terror as a waster of time (Hint: Under Sharia Law you'll be executed for doing drugs)

This setup was pretty sophishto and this "poor unemployed woman" was no Babe in the Woods, ok? No doubt she was making some hefty spare change.

Her "product" could easily ended up in the hands of my 12 year old or his friends.

Grow up nitwits.
- RH, Manchest-O

STOP locking people up who cause harm to no one.This waste taxpayer dollars, and ruins lives. Case in point my little brother is currently serving a 2 months sentence sentence for a VOP for posing a joint both times. How does that help him and the community that he lives in?The taxpayers have to shell out $50 -$100 a DAY to house him with other "criminals", and now that he has a misaminor makes it even harder for him to find a job in this economy. If anything druggies and dealers should be sent to rehab not jail.
- Dan, Manchester

Go smoke another one and be adrag on society elsewhere...I'm sick of paying w elfare and medicaid / care for these bums. You want legal dope, move overseas.
- David, Merrimack

David, did you not read the part where it said her home was PAID OFF and she was living DEBT FREE? I am very sure that is more than you or most people can say.
- Marie, Moultonboro

And if police took no action... and found the house invaded by thugs and this poor old lady murdered for her weed... What then ?
- Chris, Goffstown

I for one am glad she is busted and her operation shut down. You pot-heads think that this is a harmless and victimless crime. Of course, you couldn't be more wrong. Short-term memory loss, perceptions and reaction times distorted, performance and coordination affected. It affects the heart, lungs, and your ability to fight diseases. Pregnant mothers who smoke dope cause neurological problems with their unborn children. I would rather see our tax dollars used in the war on drugs than ANY welfare program. Good job by the Grafton County Sheriffs Department!
- Chris, Chester

Citizens,

It is not what law she broke that matters, but a mentality of justifying her actions that put her in the situation she is in. If it wasn't pot selling for Tax Free Profit, it would be something else. She was not being creative, she was being deceptive and sneaky.

Think about this, what if it was your kid that started with pot and progressed to other drugs that ruined hes/her life? How would you feel? Your Mom, Dad, Sister, Brother?

She knew she was breaking the law and the punishment it could bring. Too Bad, So Sad . . . See ya later Ma'am!!
- John, Concord

Wow, I feel so much safer now.
- Joyce El Kouarti, Dover

“Marijuana is illegal whether potheads like it or not. This woman broke the law and should be treated like any other person who breaks a law,” says Brian of Farmington. In other words, what makes a law legitimate is whether or not the government says it is and morality is irrelevant. By that logic, Anne Frank's family deserved to be sent to a concentration camp; it was the law and Brian would have upheld it.
- Mark Read Pickens, Gilbert Arizona

Oh, you sanctimonious law-abiders entertain me to no end. "It's illegal! It's illegal"! You ever go one mile or more over the limit? Illegal. Jaywalk? Illegal. Pee outside? Illegal. Sign your wife's name on the back of a check to deposit? Illegal. Most of you have probably committed felonies in your lifetimes and didn't even know it. So, get off your high horses, please.
- Tim K, Jaffrey

Fred, while they were indeed doing as instructed to do, the fact of the matter is that our government is brainwashing people into believing this kind of thing actually constitutes as a crime. She wasn't harming anyone. She was growing plants in her own home and from the looks of it she was taking very good care of these plants - In my eyes that's an extremely valuable skill. Not everyone who smokes pot is a moron. I really get so tired of seeing all you blind followers with nothing to say except that it's illegal as your defense on the matter. The fact is a lot of stupid things are illegal, this law does not protect anyone & takes away our right to choose for ourselves. It further separate us from one another and creates a hateful rift.

So excuse me if I don't find myself patting the police squad on the back for this. Pot arrests are nothing more than easy money for the force. They take away from solving real crimes. So yeah, I'm a little disappointed to read stuff like this to say the least.
- Susie, Manchester

Geez. It the Good Lord put it here as a herbal remedy, shouldn't we be allowed to use it? I grow pumpkins, but if I let them ferment they become a "remedy", too.
- SL, Londonderry

Hey Mike (manchester)... it's illegal for anyone, not just minors... the article didn't even mention "minors"... they are charging her with "manufacturing marijuana" because it is illegal to grow it... how's your reading comprehension, buddy... what are you, high?!
- mah-tin, goffstown

So what happens if you "legalize, tax, and regulate" and someone like this grows it themselves, unregulated, and then doesn't pay the tax?
Answer: the IRS busts the woman instead of the local police. Same result.
- Mark, Amherst

What a waste of tax money. This poor woman will probably now not only lose her house but her freedom. All for a drug that is less harmful than alcohol and the thousands of proscription drugs drug companies are making millions with. Look at the record amount of kids on ADD meds, why isn't that looked at as dealing to minors?
What is the difference between what they do and what she did?
- Chuck, Dover

She was self employed and doing fine. Leave these old ladies alone. Now we've got to pay for her upkeep in our jails.
- Bethany Hunter, Hooksett NH

she'll go to a federal prison where she'll have free medical care, arts and craft room, heated outside toilets...she can retire there and have better care/service than she would in a state-run nursing home.
At this point in time she broke the law regardless of everyone's opinion as to whether pot should be legalized or not.
- Mary, Thornton, NH

Go smoke another one and be adrag on society elsewhere...I'm sick of paying w elfare and medicaid / care for these bums. You want legal dope, move overseas.
- David, Merrimack

I think we should put legalization of pot to a public vote.
- Maria, Manchester, NH

There's been no evidence so far that she's been selling to minors. Regardless of how many plants they found, she is innocent of selling to minors until proven otherwise.

and for Fred in Milford: How do you know that EVERY officer involved did a great job. As far as you know, one guy might have been a complete screw up, and the other officers have been covering for him. I'm not saying anything bad against the cops, just that people are quick to both criticize and complement without any real basis for their rant.
- mike, manchester

So this lady, who was unemployed found a creative way to make her living and now us, the tax payer has to pay for A) a six-month investigation, which let's say had 4 investigators, being paid 60k a year. so that means $120,000, for just pay, I'm sure they spent lots more than that elsewhere, and will now throw this lady in jail who was able to live by herself, on her own money she earned, and that'll cost about $75/day for 7 years... let's say another 200,000, plus the legal expense she'll have to get, plus the state will use, plus the fact that she'll probably now be on welfare..... You the tax payers now get to spend a good half a million, to perhaps a million on this lady? Great use of tax payer funds!
- Jay, Manchester

We spend $185 million a day propping up the narco-state Afghanistan and still have taxpayer money for this?
- John, Keene, NH

It's a tough economy. try providing more jobs.
- nolo, lyndeboro

You people need to ask your elected officials where they stand on the legalization of marijuana before you cast your votes. Vote for those that will change the laws in your state to "decriminalize" marijuana use to the greatest extent possible. If you don't have the support of your elected officials, move to Vermont...or Washington, NH.
- Anthony, Washington

I'm in favor of keeping pot illegal for one reason: it pisses off the hippies something awful.
- Kirk H, Derry

She was self employed making a decent living. Now we'll be supporting her while she's in jail.

Think before you arrest a person!

There's punks running around out there killing people with guns and bats. Arrest them!
- Babbs Kramer, Manchester NH

So, someone filled the void left by the busting of the Vietnamese ring that bought all the expensive houses to grow pot in. I'm sure someone will quickly fill this newly created void too.
- DM, Hampton

I'm sure if this was a minority 20 something, the comments would be entirely different...
- Jim Wilson, Manchester

I guess all of you people that responded are pot smokers. I live near this woman and I am glad she has been caught. How do you know she wasn't selling to minors. It is illegal and it is a drug. Now go after the bigger dealers and lock them up too!
- bw, Bath

I bet those cops are already looking to how they can best use all the cash they will be reaping in the forfeiture of all this poor woman's property and possesions. Sure a nice new radar gun for the cruiser or one of those stupid Speed Alert sighs they seem to love so much. Maybe even a nice new cruiser to impress all the othre cops with... Yes they should feel real proud about all that hard detective work and the satisfaction of another life ruined in the pursuit of another failed LEGAL policy. I bet this will get lots of beers bought for them down at the old FOP Hall! Way to go... good job!
- Rob, Hooksett

What a waste of man hours. Why don't you focus on the inner city violent crime instead of this crap? I would rather see rapists and thugs in jail then her.
- Tom, Manchester

I'm not anti-pot, but I'm afraid it is a fact that it is still illegal. Until the time that it isn't anyone growing/selling knows this and is taking that risk. Got to be aware of the consequences of your actions. You play, you pay!!
- C Burns, Laconia

What a waste of taxpayer resources.
- Bob, Bedford

Only 100 plants. That was personal use.
- Matt, Manchester

6 months of investigation to net this bust??

How much did that cost and what did it really accomplish?
- Harry, Atkinson

I'm sure all of you critics of the police would still feel the same if this poor, unemployed, lovable, Pot-Head had been selling 'harmless weed' to your Jr. High School kids. After all, who is she really harming?
- Scott, Laconia

If you're on a jury in this or any other frivolous case, you can vote your conscience and no one EVER do anything to you. One juror voting "Not Guilty" can set this poor woman free. That's the way the first prohibition ended; they couldn't get any jury to convict.
- Jack, Greenville

What if it was your mother, grandmother, daughter, or other family member? Would you want them locked up? would you want them to be looked down on? Would you like it if they lost their house, or retiernment? Its pretty sad that this is the level of personal freedom we give our selves. I implore anyone who feels the same to make it known, and challenge the nay sayers in real dialogue on the issue.
- TJ, Bedford

Slap her on the wrist - give her a fine & please do not waste any more time and money on catching small time pot dealers. I can think of a lot more pertanent problems that the police can spend their time probing. And yes legalize marijuana - NO I do not smoke it- but I know enough "soccer moms" that do - They are Pilars of society - raised wonderful productive children. I hate to see them in jail.
- Maggie, Epping

The comments so far miss the point!!! IT'S ILLEGAL. I think the speed limit on highways should be 80 mph but if I get caught driving that fast, I get a expensive ticket. If you are so passionate about this issue, then talk to your lawmakers and work to get the law changes. Until then... IT'S ILLEGAL.
- JRW, Manchester

she broke the law plain and simple, they were doing there job...it all seems a waste of taxpayer money until it becomes personal...what if she was selling this to your kids or grandkids...you have no idea whats in that house for chemicals or whos helping her...crack addicts..gang bangers....dont judge a book by its cover
- J Deering, rochester nh

Boy the comments here about the police doing their job and doing as well as they did to nab this crook scare me. This women broke the law and should be behind bars for 15 - 20 years. That's the end of the story. All these people who think pot is harmless has NOT done the research and are basically ignorant of the facts. Good Job Grafton County Sheriff. Keep up the great work in my beloved home state!!!!
- George Lincoln, Fresno Ca

Doesn't look like a criminal to me... Poor lady.
- Jeremy, Portsmouth

well done!!!! picking on an old lady... why not go after the gangs that will kill anything that gets in their way and sell cocain oxycotton and all the crap that will kill ya after ruining your life 1st
- steve, allenstown

Poor Lady.....leave her alone and go after the real criminals, pot smokers are harmless, people, the only thig they do when they get high is...laugh, eat, and fall asleep, wow thats a real crime...give me a break... put your energy into the real trouble makers....this is such a joke,
- charlie D, Portsmouth

Even -if- you want to crack down on these nasty, horrible, despicable pot dealers, wouldnt it make sense to go after what's imported before going after what's local? After all, I clearly remember those commercials stating that if you bought pot you were funding terrorism. Way to ruin a real life sitcom guys, this was "Weeds" to a T.
- William M, Manchester

Some of you posting are not really helping your cause.

Do yourselves a favor and seek to legalize growing your own with only enough for personal use and keep the government from profiting and becoming your dealer or you will find one day you too are the slave of your masters in government. But you will also have to apply penalties for the sale of it and to anyone caught distributing it to minors. Remember if you want it you will have to seek out compromise and be accountable. You won't get any real conservative help if you seek to create an even larger more intrusive government out of it. Try thinking real freedom rather than the false freedom of government drug dealers.

As a conservative I'd back you, but not if your plan involves enslaving us even more than we already are. Yes you can be pot heads and be free at the same time.
- Deb, Derry

Great Job by all officers involved. Argue all you want to have it legalized... the fact is it IS ILLEGAL and the officers were DOING THEIR JOBS. Outstanding work.
- Fred, Milford

The real morons are those fools on here calling the police idiots and morons and saying the woman did nothing wrong. The police are not idiots. They are merely doing their job and doing it well. Marijuana is illegal whether potheads like it or not. This woman broke the law and should be treated like any other person who breaks a law. Police are sworn to uphold the laws, not to make judgments as to which laws should be enforced and which should be ignored. Marijuana is, and should remain, illegal. Potheads could care less about the medical uses of marijuana. They see that argument as a possible means to legalize pot so they can continue to get high in the stuff. Potheads are potheads. Their arguments are illogical and they don't deserve to be heard, other than for good laugh. They are a pathetic bunch!
- Brian, Farmington

Wow what a bust. The state took down an unemployed 55 year old woman and allowed Joshua Sprague, Justin Genest and Lennoxx Tibbs to run their operations until Tibbs got whacked.
- Chris, Merrimack

Th government has spend the taxpayers money to find a "secret room" and bust this woman for a having few pot plants.

Are you folks in Woodsville feeling safer?
- Bill Howard, Exeter

Waste of money & time going after this poor woman who's making a living on her own. She's got a green thumb and now it will turn brown while in jail.
She's done no harm. Set her free!
- Charles Austin, Bedford NH

This woman was just making a living. She was not using our welfare system or on Social Security. She had a house and a life style.
Why did you have to ruin her way of life.

Now we're going to have to support her while she's locked up in jail.

Foolishness!

Legalize marijuana!!
- Meghan Griffin, Center Barnstead NH

What a waste of money and time by the police.
They really have nothing better to do in Concord!
This is a joke on public spending............
The tipster should be put in jail or get shot!
LET THIS WOMAN GO FREE....... She has done no wrong. The only wrong she did is to let some back stabber know of what she was doing.

"Her arrest capped a six-month investigation that Dutile described as "intense and involved" by his officers and state police."
HA, HAAAA, HA.... What a bunch of idiots these cops are! Go after the real criminal you morons!
- Johnny D, Derry, HH

They are destroying this poor woman's life, while at the same time they complain about violent foreign drug gangs importing cannabis!

Just disgusting. Sad.
- destroy, Keene

She may end up behind bars for several years, have to pay big fines, and may lose her house due to forfeiture laws.

She looks scared.

Who was hurt by her actions?

For those who believe in the "free market," I ask you;"If marijuana is the biggest crop in NH, doesn't that mean it should be legal?" Aren't the people voting with their dollar?

The laws against Marijuana are causing more harm than the plant ever could. This must end.

Liberals and Conservatives must unite and demand the decriminalization of marijuana.
- Nick A, Derry, NH

How much do we get to pay a year to keep this woman locked up? I'm guessing she'll be looking at 15+ years.

The state either needs to take illegal personal use seriously, or stop wasting money investigating/prosecuting dealers/growers. The current marijuana policy of targeting supply and doing very little to curb demand is not working.

I'd prefer the "legalize, tax, and regulate" approach.
- Alan, Haverhill

legalize, tax and regulate. free the marijuana, free the people.
- Barbara McGovern, Grass Valley, CA (formerly Concord, NH)

This is a complete joke. If I lived in Woodsville, I'd demand the release of my neighbor and a return of all tax money wasted during this farce. And to all of you moralist morons that still support the War On Drugs, then ask yourself how, with the BILLIONS spent on this failed policy, the police still rely on a TIP.
- Howard Marks, Concord, NH