Tampa Marijuana Attorneys are often asked about the differences between misdemeanor and felony possession of marijuana. While marijuana is a seemingly innocuous and innocent drug according to the media and popular culture, it can carry lengthy prison sentences in Florida depending on the weight of the evidence. Unfortunately, many folks see the public battle over the legality of marijuana and still do not understand that it can carry lengthy prison sentences.
Florida law has set the defining weight as twenty (20) grams – below 20 grams, it’s a misdemeanor, above it, it’s a felony. If charged with the misdemeanor weight, the accused faces a year of county jail time, while the felony carries a maximum of five years in a Florida state prison. Obviously, the media and pundits don’t mention the current heavy sanctions for these charges, while discussing the debate as to the legalization of marijuana. Tampa Marijuana Attorneys are well aware of the severe sanctions related to marijuana in Florida.
Additionally as we have discussed elsewhere on our Tampa Marijuana Attorneys’ blog, there are many collateral consequences of a conviction under Florida’s controlled substances statutes. Arguably the most significant is the suspension of one’s driver’s license for two (2) years by the Florida Department of Highway Safety Motor Vehicle. Unfortunately, many folks are unaware of these collateral consequences and simply take the “adjudication and a fine” as it is mentioned in open court between the Judge and Assistant State Attorney in the courtroom. Generally, the first time these folks learn of the driver’s license suspension is when they are stopped by a police officer, taken to jail and arrested for driving while license suspended or revoked. Obviously, a two year license suspension makes it incredibly difficult to work, attend school or live a somewhat normal life in current society.
If you or someone you know is charged with a drug offense, contact the Tampa Marijuana Attorneys of Hackworth Law for a free case consultation. We have handled thousands of drug crimes throughout the Tampa Bay area from simple possession to trafficking. If you would like to contact one of our Tampa drug crime attorneys immediately, please us the “contact us now” tab in the upper right hand corner of our website. We appreciate you taking the time to check out our Tampa Marijuana Attorneys’ blog and look forward to hearing from you.