Metro-Atlanta Drug Offense Criminal Defense Attorney
Serving Atlanta and Surrounding Areas, Including Cartersville, Canton, Decatur, Jonesboro, Lawrenceville, Marietta, and McDonough.
Unfortunately, the state and county laws for drug offenses are some of the severest in the country. Without a specific, legitimate prescription, the possession, distribution, or manufacturing of even the tiniest amount of drugs is illegal. With both politicians and law enforcement officials waging a War on Drugs, punishment for drug offenses will likely remain harsh.
You will need a high level of professional skill to assist you in your case – Attorney Matthews can assist with all your legal issues, from drug crimes to firearm offenses, sex crimes, and more. For more information specifically on drug offenses you can also check out our Blog.
Georgia Law On Marijuana
In Georgia it’s illegal to possess, sell, grow, or traffic any amount of marijuana. Cannabis is allowed for medicinal use in roughly half the country, but patients need a prescription. Cannabis oil is legal in Georgia for medical purposes, but you are not allowed to grow the plants yourself, and there is no legal answer for the problem of obtaining the oil without being able to produce it.
Georgia has extremely harsh laws for trafficking, selling, or possession of marijuana (excluding the limited permission for medicinal use), and prosecutors will be hard on you for possessing even the smallest amount of drugs on your person. In fact, if you possess more than a single ounce of marijuana on your person or on your property, you can face a felony charge leading up to 10 years of imprisonment.
Prescription Drug Offenses
Georgia is extremely strict when it comes to breaking the laws concerning prescription drugs as well.
Here are some examples of Georgia’s harsh prescription drug laws:
- Possessing any drug without a prescription, even if you are holding the drug on behalf of a friend or family member.
- Changing a prescription or signature forgery
- Selling or buying medical prescriptions on behalf of someone else
- “Shopping” different doctors to receive a prescription
- What is the Punishment for Having Prescription Drugs in Georgia?
- The punishments change depending on the type of drug:
- Schedule I or narcotic Schedule II drug possession is punishable with 2-15 years of incarceration. Additional convictions result in up to 30 years of incarceration.
- Non-narcotic Schedule II drug possession is punishable with 2-15 years of incarceration. Additional convictions result in 5-30 years of incarceration.
- Schedule II, IV, or V drug possession is punishable with 1-5 years of incarceration. Additional convictions result in 1-10 years of incarceration.
