Way to make people growing a common plant sound like criminals. I believe the correct term your looking for is "farmer" because they are obviously growing a plant, not cutting up coke or boiling crack or any of that stupid actual drug making stuff
A gardener is someone who casually grows things own their own. A farmer is someone who owns many acres of land to grown crops to make support themselves financially. A criminal in this case is someone who profits off something that is against the law.
In some states its okay to run a marijuana dispensary as long as you have the proper paper work, growing weed in your back yard and selling it to strangers is not. Some places like let you grow 10 plants, however people growing over 10 with many plants on a large plot of land.

There is no way all those plants are for one person.