Category: Drug Possession

Over the past year, the number of inmates in California’s jails and prisons has decreased by about 13,000, largely due to the enactment of Proposition 47. Also known as the Safe Neighborhood and Schools Act, Prop 47 is expected to enrich California state coffers by more than $150 million this fiscal year thanks to reduced prison and jail overcrowding. In November 2014, Californians overwhelmingly passed Prop 47 with the intent of ending long sentences for minor offenses such as drug possession and petty property crimes. Implementation of the new law has proven challenging, however, with some public officials and law enforcement agencies reportedly opposing… Read More

Criminal justice in the US appears to be flawed due to overcrowded prisons and the language of laws, reports Jacob Shamsian. More than two decades have passed since Bill Clinton signed the 1994 Violent Crime Control Act in an attempt to curtail criminal offenses, asserts NPR.ORG. However, Thea Johnson and Mark Osler have authored a new paper on the rationale behind reducing drug sentencing. Where Is the Problem? Today’s punishments for drug-related offenses rely on the quantity of drugs. For example, punishments are given on the basis of weight of the substance. In many cases, the offender may only be tied to… Read More

America’s war on drugs, started by President Nixon, has been an abject failure in almost every way. After millions of shattered lives and billions spent on incarcerations, drug use has only increased in the decades that followed. In fact, the sole “success” of the war on drugs is that the United States became the world’s leading incarcerator.To combat the persistent issues caused by the war on drugs, America simply needs to look at its global neighbors and allies for innovative approaches that can solve our drug crisis. Following Portugal’s Lead, America Could Decriminalize Drugs Ask any drug crime lawyer whether drug… Read More

America’s War on Drugs is mired in flawed and incomplete policies as evidenced when looking back on some of the events of 2014. Acclaimed actor Phillip Seymour Hoffman’s overdose death was a tragic reminder of the 105 people who die every day in the U.S. from overdosing. Over 30,000 die annually from accidental overdose. California was the most recent and largest state to help pass overdose prevention laws. Their new legislation allows citizens better access to opiate overdose reversal medication, which can be obtained via a pharmacist. Many citizens across the country want to legalize marijuana. In 2014, voters in… Read More

Tauheed Epps, better known as 2 Chainz, was arrested on possession charges after drugs were allegedly found in his checked luggage. According to a news report in Entertainment Weekly, he was escorted off a plane at Los Angeles International Airport. Officials allegedly found marijuana and Promethazine, which is a key ingredient in the street drug concoctions “lean” or “sizzurp.” This is the rapper’s second drug-related arrest this year. He was arrested back in February for marijuana possession after the Maryland State Police pulled over his van. Marijuana is widely considered a relatively harmless drug that has a number of medical… Read More

According to national findings reported by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), African Americans are four times more likely than Caucasians to face charges for marijuana use. The ACLU believes that this is proof of racial profiling because African Americans and Caucasians use marijuana about equally. As reported by The Los Angeles Times, the study took into account California arrest records from 2001 through 2010. The report did not consider arrests after California decriminalized possession of 28.5 grams or less of marijuana. Unfortunately, the arrest rate for African Americans appears to be on the rise. While the marijuana arrest rates… Read More

A 36-year-old Los Angeles man was recently arrested on suspicion of using methamphetamine and possessing prescription drugs without a prescription. According to a news report in The Burbank Leader, the man was arrested in front of the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf in downtown Burbank. Officials approached him because he was smoking, which is a municipal code violation. They say he acted nervously and admitted to using methamphetamine. He then allegedly consented to a search that resulted in the seizure of Norco and Vicodin. In addition to drug possession charges, he also faces identity theft charges because officials say they… Read More

A massive series of raids throughout Los Angeles County resulted in the arrest of 28 people. According to a CBS Los Angelesreport, more than 400 federal agents from the federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) worked with the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) to conduct a number of raids in the greater Los Angeles area. The enforcement action resulted after a 32-count federal indictment was handed down in January, which charged individuals of multiple drug crimes involving oxycodone and hydrochloride. In the raids, the LAPD seized an estimated $20 million in cash and drugs. The 28 suspects face charges including drug… Read More

Los Angeles drug crime defense attorneys believe that the war on drugs in California has relied heavily over the years on severe criminal punishments over treatment options for individuals convicted of drug possession. The penalties for marijuana-related offenses have decreased in recent years, but the penalties for heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine possession have remained harsh. A new bill could potentially change these laws. The Los Angeles Times reports that Senator Mark Leno joined hands with the American Civil Liberties Union of California and the NAACP to announce a bill that would make simple possession of dangerous drugs a misdemeanor instead… Read More

Unless you have a prescription, it is illegal to possess marijuana or any other controlled substance in Los Angeles. You can face charges for possessing marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine, or other narcotics. You can even face serious penalties for possessing medical drugs without a prescription. The consequences and penalties you could face for drug possession in Los Angeles depend on the type of drugs involved, the quantity of drugs seized by the authorities, and the prior criminal record of the defendant. A person who possesses one ounce or less of marijuana will likely face misdemeanor charges. The punishment for this offense… Read More