A Look At Common Terminology Used In Drug Offense Cases
Posted on: 7 January 2019
According to DrugWarFacts.org, law enforcement made 1,632,921 in the year 2017 for drug-related offenses. The never-ending war on drugs brings about a lot of new arrests by the day, and unfortunately, if you have anything to do with illegal substances, you could be one of the people charged with a drug offense. Because drug offenses are taken so seriously, your best line of defense is to hire a good drug offense lawyer and arm yourself with knowledge. You will want to have a good understanding of your charges and what is being said about those charges when you consult with an attorney or have your day in court.
Controlled Substance - A controlled substance is a substance that is legally defined as a controlled substance by the Drug Enforcement Agency and the laws in your state. Even legal prescription medications can be deemed controlled substances because they are only legally allowed in the possession of the person to whom they are prescribed.
Intent to Distribute or Traffick - Intent to distribute or traffick is intent to distribute a controlled substance to the public either by giving it out or by selling it for a profit. Charges for intent to distribute can come about if you are caught with what is considered to be a large quantity of a controlled substance.
Manufacturing - Manufacturing is a term used to describe the process of actually making a controlled substance. This term will only apply with controlled substances that can be manufactured, such as illicit street drugs like methamphetamine or crack cocaine. You can be charged with manufacturing a substance even if you are not directly caught in the process of manufacturing a substance. For example, if you are caught with all the supplies needed to make methamphetamine, you could face a manufacturing charge.
Possession - Possession means you have knowingly had a controlled substance in your possession. Even if you were not intending to distribute or use the substance, you can be charged with possession even if you are found with the substance. For example, if you had an illegal substance in your pocket because you were holding it for a friend, you could still get charged with possession of a controlled substance.
Overall, facing a drug conviction can be scary. With major fines and possible jail time looming as punishment, it is important to have a good defense system in place. Reach out to drug offense attorneys like Angela L Walker PC for more information.
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