5.0 out of 5.0 on Drug Crimes
Common Defenses for Drug Dealing Charges
Charges for drug dealing carry heavier penalties than possession for personal use. Dealing includes manufacturing, holding, distributing, and selling controlled substances or the ingredients to make those substances. It also includes inducing someone or conspiring with others to deal drugs. The severity ranges from felony charges with up to 32 years in prison and $1,000,000 in fines to misdemeanor probation. The charges will depend on the type of drugs, the amount, and whether you have previous felony convictions.
Five Fast Fentanyl Facts
Fentanyl is a powerfully potent synthetic opioid analgesic that is similar to morphine but is 50 to 100 times more powerful. It is a prescription drug primarily used to treat patients with severe pain who have developed a tolerance to other opioids. Fentanyl can be administered intravenously, intranasally, via transdermal patch, or in lozenge form. The most common side effects of fentanyl include drowsiness, nausea, and constipation. Fentanyl can be extremely dangerous if not used properly, and has been linked to several overdose deaths in recent years.
Court-Ordered Hair Sample Drug Tests in Colorado
Drug testing is a common condition of probation or parole. Some people on probation may be required to take weekly random drug tests. Hair follicle testing can detect drug consumption for up to 90 days.
A hair follicle drug test is a type of drug test that uses a small sample of hair to detect the presence of drugs in a person’s system. This drug test is often used to screen for illicit drugs, as it can provide a more accurate picture of drug use over an extended period. Hair follicle drug tests can detect the presence of drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, amphetamines, and opiates.
Why Drug Crimes Are Sometimes Considered “Wobblers”
A wobbler refers to a drug offense that may be reduced from a serious class 4 felony to a level 1 misdemeanor. This reduction occurs when a defendant effectively completes probation or community corrections. Often referred to as a “wobbler offense,” these exist to enable offenders, often first-time offenders, to escape the significant penalties of a class 4 felony.
Facing Charges Related to Fentanyl?
Fentanyl is an extremely powerful synthetic opioid that was developed to manage high levels of pain in medical patients. However, it has also become a recreational drug that is not used for pain management. Fentanyl’s popularity rests in it taking very little of the substance to obtain a high.
Adding to the fentanyl crisis is the fact that numerous other drugs such as heroin and MDMA are being cut with fentanyl to increase the potency of the high, leading to many people unintentionally ingesting the drug. It is a dangerous problem that is putting many lives at risk.
Marijuana—What’s Legal in Colorado
It is legal for adults over the age of 21 to possess or grow small amounts of marijuana for their own personal use. But there are still many things you can’t do, such as selling marijuana without a license, consuming it in public, or having an open package of marijuana in your car. It’s important to be aware of the current marijuana laws and penalties to stay out of trouble in Colorado.
Charged with Growing Too Many Marijuana Plants in Colorado?
If you are age 21 or older, you can grow marijuana for personal use in your home under Colorado state law. The maximum number of plants you are allowed to grow is six per adult in the residence, with no more than three plants flowering at one time. If you have too many marijuana plants, you can be charged with a drug crime, punishable by imprisonment and fines. Cultivation of more than six but not more than 30 plants is a level 3 felony that carries possible penalties of six months to two years in prison and a fine of $1,000 to $100,000.
What You Need to Know About Synthetic Drugs
Synthetic drugs may sound safer than natural substances, such as cocaine and opium, but the truth is that these manmade drugs can pose a huge health risk to users. That is why the Colorado State government is eager to crack down on synthetic drug crimes, even if it means innocent people end up in jail.
Schedule I and II Drugs No Longer Carry Felony Charges in CO
A new Colorado law went into effect at the beginning of March 2020. House Bill 19-1263, which was signed into law by the governor in May 2019, essentially defelonizes the possession of small amounts of Schedule I and II substances, such as cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl. Under the new law, if you are caught in possession of a small amount of these drugs, you will be charged with a misdemeanor rather than a felony.
Drug Classification: What You Should Know
In the 1970’s, our government declared war on drugs. In an effort to end drug addictions and keep Americans happy and healthy, the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) was signed into law. The law laid out a new labeling system for drugs, as well as what penalties users and distributors should face. This system sorts drugs by how addictive they are and how useful they are medically into different “schedules.” The highest labeled is Schedule I, where the most dangerous and addictive drugs are sorted, and the lowest is Schedule V.
The CSA is subject to state laws, however. Some states have chosen to modify the system, changing where certain drugs are placed, as well as what punishments those found in possession of or selling the drugs should be given. Other states, however, stick to what the federal government laid out in the 1970’s.
