So, what if someone does come over and finds out...like your best friend or something...and they tell their wife, and the wife tells her friend...and so on and so on until it reaches a cop or something...can they get a warrant from just that really? What if I just start spreading rumors around about different random folks? Are they going to get raided too? I agree with the don't tell anyone 100%, I just would like more information on my rights and whatnot...and I was planning on doing some looking around when I ran upon this post...and those are the questions I want answered. If I do find definitive answers I will come back and post.
that is my point - do not let someone come over and find out - do everything in your power to prevent that from happening. once you are compromised - the danger of getting busted increases exponentially as you described (he tells two friends, and she tells two friends). Growing marijuana is not without its risks --- the best you can do is to minimize those risks.
Spreading false rumors will get the person accused watched - but also puts the accuser in some jeopardy of the law as well. False accusations are not legal and the cop is going to be interested in how that person found out you were growing - buying from you (again illegal), snooping, breaking in (all illegal). Not sure what your point is here - someone could spread rumors whether you're growing or not. But anyway about it - a non-police informant tip will most likely be investigated. A police-informant tip will probably cause a full-on search warrant and raid.
As far as "the law" is concerned - here is an excerpt from a synopsis of the Barry Cooper DVD - Never Get Busted - that you may find somewhat useful - while it is written for a traffic stop scenario - the reasonable suspicion/probable cause stuff holds true...
Reasonable suspicion is anything an officer observes that when put together causes the officer to be suspicious. Examples include, hand shaking when handing your driver's license, stories not matching between driver and passenger, a marijuana leaf key ring (or apparel), rolling papers, or anything that makes the officer think a crime is being committed. But an officer can have fifty reasonable suspicions and still can not search your vehicle without your consent. However one probable cause and the officer can search your vehicle without your consent. Keep all reasonable suspicion items at home or concealed.
Probable cause is when the officer detects that a crime is being committed in his presence. Examples include: smell of marijuana, a seed on the floor, a roach in the ashtray, drug paraphernalia, etc... Once the officer has probable cause, he can search your vehicle without consent.
I think someone spreading a rumor falls into the "reasonable suspicion" rather than the "probable cause".
