Indiana State Police sees increase in marijuana-laced products as states nearby legalize

SELLERSBURG, Ind. (WDRB) -- Indiana State Police is seeing an increase in marijuana-laced products as many states around the country legalize recreational use.

More than 30 states have legalized some form of marijuana use in recent years. However, all forms still remain illegal in Indiana. As a result, ISP said troopers will continue to enforce state laws in spite of increased legalization elsewhere.

“Naturally, we're going to strictly enforce our laws," ISP Spokesman Sgt. Carey Huls said. "So people should expect that the Indiana State Police will enforce any laws regarding those products."

Huls said they’ve recently seen an increase in various forms of marijuana such as edibles as more states have legalized recreational sales and use.

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“No specific numbers, but it is something that's caught our attention,” Huls said. “We're seeing a steady increase over time.”

To Indiana’s north, Michigan has both medicinal and recreational marijuana. To the east, Ohio has legalized medicinal marijuana. And to the west, Illinois just last month legalized recreational use that will begin in 2020. It’s left Indiana nestled between three states with some form of legalized marijuana.

But even if a marijuana product is purchased legally in one of those states, ISP said offenders will still be charged.

“If it’s legal in that state, that’s up to that state," Huls said. "But once you're back here in Indiana, it is not."

Anyone caught with any amount of marijuana can be charged with a misdemeanor. Depending on the amount, it could come with up to 180 days or up to $1,000 in fines.

So far, the Indiana legislature has showed little to no signs of moving in a direction to legalize recreational or medicinal marijuana.

But ISP said it’s not making a conscious effort to target these types of marijuana products. Instead, Huls said, they pop up during unrelated interactions with the public.

“It could be from a traffic stop, where they're just there in plain sight, or it could be in another investigation when we just discover these items as well,” Huls said.