Understanding Drug Possession Laws
For many years, the US has been fighting narcotics from both inside and outside the country. It is vital to learn that criminal drugs are a multifaceted and lucrative business which is linked with numerous consequences and impacts that have found their ways into the city. You need to understand that the business is overwhelming starting from the production, distribution, and selling. Studies shows that at least 14 thousand people loses their lives due to the criminal activities associated with criminal narcotics. Therefore, the federal and the state laws states that carrying, owning, holding or illegal drug possession is a crime against society. Some of the narcotic possession are not that serious as compared to others and the offenders are charged lightly as compared to those who possess other form of drugs due to the effects and illegal activities related to these criminal narcotics. Some individuals are released after paying fines after found guilty of having certain illegal drugs but others are jailed.
Having criminal narcotic is treated as a severe offense and has severe charges in both federal and state level. It is crucial to have in mind the criminal narcotic charges are affected by different elements like the location of the crime, age of the offender, the intent of the one possessing the one holding the drugs, the form of drug and the quantity in possession. For instance, if an individual is found with an ounce of marijuana which is located in the car, it will be a misdemeanor which means that such crime will not attract severe penalties. However, if you are holding more than five pounds of cocaine with the aim of selling it to a nearby public school, then this will be termed as felony and the charges are severe. It is vital to know that drug possession and penalties involved are proportional to the offense and the related mitigating factors.
Note that misdemeanor drug holding is treated as a more minor crime than the felony crimes. Note that the drug possession penalties differ from one state to another. Community service, probation, low penalties and court counseling directed by the court among others are some of the charges of misdemeanor drug possession. Felony drug possession attract a severe penalty as compared to misdemeanor charges. In felony charges, along with the ownership, there is also the intent to sell to someone or distribute. When a person is found with a large number of drugs, it is termed as felony narcotic possession. You need to remember that drug possession laws are strict nowadays and sometimes the misdemeanor charges can be termed as a felony depending on the situation and the location of the crime.