Arizona courts appear at odds over the possible impact on legalized medical marijuana on the ability of police to conduct searches prompted solely by officers smelling marijuana.
A three-judge panel of the state Court of Appeals ruled Thursday that a police search of a man's car during a traffic stop was permissible because an officer smelled burnt marijuana.
The panel rejected a defense argument that legalized medical marijuana means police must assume that any marijuana they smell or see is lawful until shown otherwise.
A different panel of the same court earlier this week said legalization of medical marijuana means circumstances other than mere possession must determine whether there's a legal basis for a search.
That case involved a search warrant issued for a building after an officer smelled pot.