Drug crimes are very serious, of course, and they can lead to long prison terms and hefty fines. In some cases, a conviction of a drug crime can stay on your record for the rest of your life. This can make it difficult to do certain things, such as getting a job or buying a home.
Unfortunately, some of these crimes are merely mistakes that people make without realizing that they’re breaking the law. That doesn’t make this any less illegal, and you could still certainly be arrested. But it does show you why it’s important to know what mistakes to avoid. Let’s look at two of them below.
Sharing prescription medications
First and foremost, if you get a prescription medication, remember that you are the only person who is allowed to use it. You can legally pick it up at the pharmacy, but you cannot share it with anyone else that you know without violating the law.
A common example of how this happens is when someone has opioids, which are painkillers. These can be addictive and are often abused, so sharing them is illegal, even though they are certainly beneficial painkillers for those who are using them as the doctor instructed.
Possessing marijuana too early
You may have seen stories about how Maryland is going to legalize recreational marijuana. And this is true, as a vote recently passed changing the laws within the state. Like many other states, this is going to allow people to possess a small amount of marijuana for recreational use without violating the law.
However, do not make the mistake of doing this immediately. The vote may have passed, but the changes to the law don’t take effect until July. Possessing marijuana prior to this could still cause trouble, as could bringing in marijuana from other states, even if it was purchased legally there.
What are your options?
If you find yourself facing serious drug charges, it’s critical that you know about all the legal defense options at your disposal.