Salisbury Drug Penalties
There are a number of negative consequences that can arise from the moment someone is charged with any drug related offense in Salisbury. Before court proceedings even begin, there is the issue of whether or not the person would be required to post bail in order to be out pending a trial. If they do not have an advocate there to help them, they potentially could end up staying in jail while they wait because they cannot post bond. If that is the case, then they could potentially lose their job due to too many absences.
Besides employment repercussions, being convicted in a drug case can impact whether or not the accused is allowed to continue on in school. It can also affect whether they are able to hold certain licenses and certifications that are state or federally issued.
In addition, it is important to consider that a conviction will permanently mark someone’s record. Because of that, it is possible that anybody could see their record and consider them to either be an addict or a distributor, which can then impact whether or not they will be able to get employment further on, including years after the events in question.
Factors That Influence Consequences
There are certain drugs that are penalized more harshly than others. This is because some are considered to be more of a general danger to the health of the citizens, and therefore are considered to contribute to a health crisis.
The fact is that some drugs can be a health risk because they are considered so incredibly addictive. The clearest example of that is opioid addiction. There has been a significant increase in opioid possession and unfortunately, another consequence of that is that heroin has actually become less expensive for a person to get on the street. As a consequence, there has now been an increase in the heroin epidemic.
Overall then, some drugs are definitely considered to be more dangerous and are therefore penalized more harshly. One of the lesser penalties that a person will see is possession of marijuana. If somebody possesses less than 10 grams of marijuana, it is not even considered a crime anymore; it’s a civil infraction and it carries a fine only. However, when compared to possessing a drug like cocaine or heroin, the penalties are significantly enhanced. In that case, the maximum penalty for just simple possession of those drugs is four years in prison.
Aggravating Factors
Typically, the greater penalties are usually due to the fact that the drug in question is considered to be highly addictive and essentially leads to the addict also becoming involved in other crimes. For example, for a person who is addicted to heroin, it would not be unusual for them to also commit theft in order to get money to support their habit.
They may commit burglaries in order to gain access to somebody else’s property and then sell it or pawn it in order to have money to purchase more heroin.
Contacting a Drug Attorney Today
The penalties vary dramatically depending on the nature and amount of the drug in question. A lawyer with extensive experience in this particular area of the law will be best equipped to handle your case should you find yourself facing charges. Such an attorney will be able to guide and advise you throughout the overwhelming process, and build the strongest defense possible in order to mitigate or eliminate the damages.