Criminal Sale of Marijuana

    MIAMI, FL, June 09, 2012 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Drug laws vary from state to state. In many states, the sale of marijuana may not fall under criminal code due to its purported medical benefits. These states rely on licensing to draw distinctions between the criminal and legitimate sale of marijuana.

Most states, however, do not allow the sale of marijuana under any circumstances. For example, in the state of Florida, marijuana is classified as a schedule I controlled substance with no accepted medical use. This means that the sale of even an ounce of marijuana in Florida is considered to be a drug-related crime.

Marijuana Sale Consequences
Sticking with Florida as an example, the consequences for the sale of marijuana include:
- Possession with intent to sell - up to five years in prison
- Possession with intent to sell within 1,000 feet of a drug-free zone - up to 15 years in prison
- Delivery of less than 20 grams - up to one year in jail
- Sales to people under the age of 18 - up to 15 years in prison

When dealing with larger quantities of marijuana, you may face drug trafficking charges. These can include:

- Possession of 25 to 2,000 pounds - three years in prison, $25,000 fine
- Possession of 2,000 to 10,000 pounds - seven years in prison, $50,000 fine
- Possession of more than 10,000 pounds - 15 years in prison, $200,000 fine

In all of these instances, it is the burden of the State to prove that you had intent to sell. While this is much easier to establish with large quantities of marijuana, the right criminal defense lawyer can work to find holes in the prosecution's case against you and help secure both your financial and personal freedom.

You Need a Lawyer
If you are being charged with the criminal sale of marijuana, you need a criminal defense lawyer on your side. Most states have a zero tolerance policy regarding drug sale and will do everything possible to ensure maximum penalties. Using the examples for drug trafficking above, the prison time listed is a mandatory minimum. This means you may face substantially more prison time and even larger fines if a strong enough case can be made against you.

With an aggressive, dedicated criminal defense lawyer on your side, you can rest assured that everything is being done to weaken the case against you. Your criminal defense lawyer will know exactly what needs to be done in these cases to reduce your charges or have them dropped completely.

If you have been charged with the criminal sale of marijuana in or around Miami, please visit the website of the criminal defense lawyers at the Cochran Firm South Florida for more information on how we can help protect your rights and secure your freedom.

Website: http://cochranfirmsouthflorida.com

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