K-9's Will Be Re-Trained NoT To Sniff Out Marijuana; Dusty The Dog Is The First Not To Detect The Drug

Bremerton police departments are considering re-training K-9 dogs to not search for marijuana according Fox News. With the legalization and decriminalization of marijuana on the rise the new training will be necessary.

Marijuana use has been legalized in the Washington state and authorities have to find time to adjust and follow new procedures.

Dusty, a 19-month-old Labrador, is the only dog who has already evolved with the times. The K-9 has successfully been retrained to ignore the scent of Marijuana.

"We wanted to train our dog on what was truly illegal substances, that would be heroin, methamphetamine and cocaine, said Duke Roessel, Dusty's handler. Dusty is credited as a great canine partner. According to Fox News he recently sniffed out five pounds of meth.

Police are looking to desensitize other K-9 dogs and remove marijuana detection from the training curriculum for incoming agents. "We'll need new dogs to alert on substances that are illegal," said prosecutor Mark Lindquist.

Some authorities feel the re-training is unnecessary because it aids in obtaining warrants for probable cause. K-9 animals can detect illegal substances but can not determine whether or not the substance, marijuana, is a legal amount. Desensitizing the animals will leave large amounts of the drug undetected, fueling illegal use and distribution.

Despite the legal changed in regards to marijuana, some police stations are not budging. The laws are always changing and the drug is not 100 percent illegal Until then, officers plan on holding suspects responsible for distribution or consumption of marijuana which puts medical marijuana users at risk.

"The law just made one ounce not a crime for adults.That means growing marijuana is still illegal, passing a joint is illegal," said Douglas Hiatt, a medical marijuana advocate and attorney.