Unfortunately in many parts of the U.S. - including Ohio - that's a pretty risky proposition if you're a homeowner.
Drug pigs by and large aren't chasing down small time personal growers, but in most places, a grow can be sufficient evidence to charge "intent to distribute". And then it's a pretty easy prosecutorial jump to the home being paid for in part by the fruits of the illegal distribution.
The home is then forfeited and it's up to the homeowner to prove that there were no payments made with illicit money.
And that's not a typo.
Unlike most criminal laws in the USA which give the accused a presumption of innocence until proven guilty, drug forfeiture laws permit the authorities to seize money and/or property without even making an associated criminal charge. The legal onus is on the target of that forfeiture to prove that their asset(s) are "clean".
The most common way that indoor grows (of any size) are detected is that someone who is arrested for possession and/or distribution tells the cops about it in hopes of getting some slack on their own charges
Sad to say, but too many people who get a decent personal grow going seem to have trouble keeping it a secret. They want to show it off to "just a few friends".
I was in Venice Beach a couple weeks back and when you walk up and down the walkway on the water front.... there a few of these...... You walk in pay the doctor $100.00 (although I talked him down to $70.00) and he gives you a card.... You walk down a few blocks walk into a weed store show them your card and walk in and buy what you want!
