What Are the Various Types of Drug Crimes?

(Photo : Image by HeungSoon from Pixabay )

Did you know that one in five people in jail are there for a drug offense, and one in three are first-time offenders with no prior felony convictions?

These kinds of statistics highlight that drug charges can have some very severe consequences.

Drug penalties depend on the type of drug and what your intention with it was. Here is some more information on various types of drug crimes.

Three Prevalent Drug Crimes

Two of the most prevalent types of drug crimes are possession and paraphernalia. Penalties can range from a slap on the wrist to severe jail time depending on the amount and kind of drug.

Paraphernalia

Paraphernalia, as defined by the National Drug Intelligence Center, is any item that is intended or designed for inhaling, injecting, preparing, processing, concealing, or ingesting an illegal drug, including but not limited to:

●       Bongs

●       Syringes

●       Pipes 

●       Scales

●       Rolling papers

●       Burnt spoons

●       Cut straws

●       Baggies

●       Grinders

You could be charged with distribution, possession, or display of paraphernalia, which are all misdemeanor charges unless you've had prior offenses.

Possession

Another common drug crime is possession. Laws vary from state to state and can depend on the type of drug. For example, a bag of heroin typically carries a more serious charge than a tiny bit of marijuana.

You could also be charged with possession without having any drugs on you. You could be charged with actual possession if you have any drugs on your person or constructive possession if police officers believe you are aware of the presence of drugs.

For example, if you were in a vehicle with a group of people and drugs were discovered in the glove compartment. Or if you were in a location that got raided by law enforcement and drugs were found.

If you are caught with drugs, you could be charged with simple possession or possession with intent to distribute, which is typically a more serious crime.

In Miami, the first offense for a possession charge could be a third-degree felony. Considering that even a first-time offense can come with serious penalties, if you are charged with possession in Florida, you will want to hire an experienced drug crimes lawyer to help fight your charges.

Distribution

Being charged with intent to sell or distribute drugs in your possession is considered a felony charge. Law enforcement will have to prove that you were in possession of controlled substances and intended to sell them.

Intent to sell can occur if someone attempted to sell to an undercover cop or have drug paraphernalia often associated with distributing and marketing, like scales or baggies. Courts can consider other circumstantial evidence like frequenting known drug locations or having large amounts of cash on you to help prove their case.

Penalties can be very extreme and often involve many years in jail and thousands of dollars in fines.

Have You Been Charged With a Drug Crime? We Can Help You!

Are you facing drug charges in Miami, FL? Then it's essential to understand the types of drug crimes and the penalties you face so you can better defend your case. The best way to do this is to hire an excellent criminal defense law firm to represent you.