Category Archives: Drug Crimes
Nitazenes: The “New” Drugs On The Block
The federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) oversees the classification of newly discovered or developed drugs, assigning each one a category based on its medical use potential and capacity for addiction. While it can take some time to classify a substance, this does not mean that the substance is not already available on the street… Read More »
“Prescription” Drugs Without A Prescription Are Still Unlawful
Drugs are classified into ‘schedules’ at both state and federal levels, categorized by their potential for addiction and their accepted medical usage (or lack thereof). This includes controlled substances that are sometimes prescribed for certain health conditions – but just because they have medical uses does not mean they are legal to possess without… Read More »
Defining Possession With “Intent To Sell” In Florida
Possessing a controlled substance in Florida is a serious crime all on its own, but possession when “intent to sell” is detected can lead to long-term consequences. Drug possession is a crime against oneself, but possession of drugs with intent to sell is seen as a larger crime against society, and is prosecuted aggressively… Read More »
Florida Drug Courts Can Help Defendants Get A Second Chance
Normally, when a person has to go to court, the experience is intimidating and adversarial, particularly if they are on trial for a criminal offense. However, Florida has played a major role in developing a new kind of court, designed to arrive at solutions in a slightly different way. Now under the larger umbrella… Read More »
Actual vs Constructive Possession In Florida Drug Cases
Possession of drugs is a fairly straightforward crime in most respects; one might figure that either a person possessed drugs, or they did not. In reality, the law allows for more variation and nuance in the definition of “possession.” One of the most common issues in this respect is the concept of actual versus… Read More »
Florida Drug-Free Zones Help Protect Children
The concept of the drug-free zone has been present in U.S. jurisprudence since the 1970s, with many of them centered on schools and places of worship. The intent of such a policy is obvious – to protect children from being exposed to drug-related activity in the places they might congregate. On its face, this… Read More »
Federal Agency Officially Recommends Rescheduling Cannabis
Both U.S. federal law and the law of the states categorize drugs into schedules, with Schedule I substances having high potential for addiction or abuse and no accepted medical usage. As of this writing, cannabis is a Schedule I drug, treated as highly addictive and dangerous. However, attitudes on its medical uses are changing,… Read More »
Polk County Traffic Stop Turns Into Drug Arrest
A routine traffic stop in Polk County in January 2024 resulted in a sudden arrest on drug charges for one Haines City man. The man was pulled over because his tailgate was allegedly obscuring his license plate, and after law enforcement asked for his license and registration, the man handed them over. However, he… Read More »
Florida Legislature Proposes New Bill Based On Misinformation
In late January 2024, lawmakers in Florida’s state Senate and House of Representatives proposed bills creating a criminal penalty for any adult who would expose a first responder to the drug fentanyl or any chemically similar analogues, causing serious bodily injury. The word “expose” is specifically defined as causing a person to ingest, inhale,… Read More »
Mailing Controlled Substances Is A Federal Crime
As of February 1, 2024, 25 U.S. states have legalized cannabis for both medical and recreational purposes, while 14 more have either medical cannabis programs, or have decriminalized certain small amounts used recreationally. Florida is one of the former, though its nearest neighbors either bar the use of cannabis completely, or restrict its legal… Read More »