Drug Possession Law Firm

Hiring a Largo, FL Drug Possession Lawyer

You’ve been caught with an illegal drug in your possession in Largo, FL and you aren’t sure what is to come of the charge. Does the crime carry a minimum mandatory prison sentence or probation? Is there any way to get your charges reduced to a lesser degree?

The answers to these questions actually depend on a number of different things. How much of the drug did you have in your possession at the time of your arrest? Is the drug classified as a Schedule I, II, or III drug? In order to determine what penalties you are likely up against, you are going to need to speak with a skilled Largo, FL drug possession lawyer. The attorneys at Trevena, Pontrello and Associates will be able to determine the penalties that will likely be imposed using the answers you provide to the questions listed above coupled with the offense(s) you have been accused of committing.

Understanding drug schedules and how the State of Florida penalizes those who are caught with an illegal drug in their possession.

When a person is caught with an illegal drug in their possession and/or it has been determined that they intended on selling it, manufacturing it, or delivering it, they are said to be in violation of Florida Statute §893.13 and are subject to the consequences the violation carries with it. Before a person is charged with a drug crime, the State shall use the drug schedule, the amount you had in your possession, and any other crimes that were being committed at the time of the alleged offense to determine how you shall be charged.

Now, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has divided controlled substances, some of which are illegal, into five categories. Below we outline what each of these categories are so you have a better understanding of each of them.

Schedule 1 (I) Drugs

Schedule I drugs, substances, or chemicals have been defined by the federal government as “drugs with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.” These drugs are considered to be the most dangerous of all the drug schedules as there is a high chance they could lead to psychological or physical dependency. Some examples of Schedule I drugs include:

Heroin
Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD)
Marijuana (cannabis)
Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (ecstasy)

Important: It is important to note that although the DEA still classifies marijuana as a Schedule I drug, research has concluded that there may be some medical benefits to using certain amounts. Therefore, if you are caught with a legal amount of medical marijuana and you can prove you are permitted to have it in your possession, you should not be charged with a criminal offense. However, if you were charged with possession of marijuana in Largo, FL, contact Trevena, Pontrello & Associates, a drug possession law firm in Largo, FL.

Schedule 2 (II) Drugs

Schedule 2 (II) drugs are defined as “drugs with a high potential for abuse, less abuse potential than Schedule I drugs, with use potentially leading to severe psychological or physical dependence.” These drugs are still considered dangerous and the following would be classified as a Schedule II drug:

Cocaine
Methamphetamine
Methadone
Oxycodone (OxyContin)
Fentanyl
Adderall

Schedule 3 (III) Drugs

A Schedule III drug is one that has a “moderate to low potential for physical and psychological dependence.” The likelihood of a Schedule III drug being abused is less than that of a Schedule I and Schedule II drug but is still higher than a Schedule IV. Some examples of a Schedule III drug include:

Combination products that contain less than 15 milligrams of hydrocodone per dosage unit (Vicodin).
Products that contain less than 90 milligrams of codeine per dosage unit (Tylenol with codeine).
Ketamine
Anabolic steroids
Testosterone

Schedule 4 (IV) Drugs

Schedule IV are drugs that have a low potential for abuse along with a low risk of dependence. Examples include:

Xanax
Soma
Darvocet
Valium
Ativan
Ambien

Schedule 5 (V) Drugs

The potential for a Schedule V drug being abused is far less than that of a Schedule IV drug. Schedule IV drugs “consist of preparations containing limited quantities of certain narcotics” and are typically used for “antidiarrheal, antitussive, and analgesic purposes.” Examples include:

Cough preparations that contain less than 200 milligrams of codeine or per 100 milliliters (Robitussin AC).
Lomotil
Motofen
Lyrica
Parepectolin

Once the drug is classified as a Schedule I, II, III, IV, or V, the State shall consider the amount you were caught with. The higher the quantity, the more severe your penalties will likely be. While some drug possession charges will result in a person being charged with a felony of the third degree, others might result in an individual being charged with a misdemeanor of the first degree. Again, it all comes down to the circumstances surrounding the crime.

Is there a way to get my drug charges reduced to a lesser degree?

This will depend on whether you retain a skilled Largo, FL drug possession attorney to represent you. When a person is charged with drug possession in Largo, FL, you can expect that the State will be pushing for the maximum sentence, and it can be hard to fight this. However, when you have an experienced Largo, FL drug possession law firm working on your side, you stand a better chance at fighting your charges and getting them reduced or even dismissed.

If you were charged with possession of marijuana, cocaine, or any other controlled substance and have yet to hire a drug possession lawyer in Largo, FL, its time you contact Trevena| James Attorneys At Law.

With its office based in Largo Florida, Trevena, Pontrello and Associates primarily practices in Pinellas, Hillsborough, and Pasco County, and throughout the state of Florida.

Trevena, Pontrello and Associates is located at:

801 W Bay Drive, Suite 509

Largo, FL 33770

Phone: 727-581-5813

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