Cocaine Abuse
Friday by: DoreenIntroduced to European society centuries ago, cocaine abuse has been a dark shadow on the history of mankind and our development. In the late 1800′s, Coca-Cola was known to use cocaine as a flavour additive in their new carbonated beverage. Abuse and addiction are left in the drug’s wake, destroying those who have touched it.
With an extremely high import rate into the U.S. and Canada, police and law enforcement officials are taking care to prosecute offenders with the strongest arm possible and asking for maximum sentences when it comes to cocaine related offences. It is a highly addictive and very dangerous substance that is popular among almost all ranks of society.
Laws in California are very strict and very clear-cut when it comes to cocaine. There are laws in place pertaining to cocaine based substances, for possession, sale and trafficking of the drug that all result in different punishments.
Like most drugs, possession is not treated as severely as trafficking or selling cocaine. First time offenders found guilty of possession could be handed a fine of $70 U.S.D. and a prison term in a state facility as maximum punishment. Other outcomes include court-ordered rehab therapy and probation, where additional terms could be required.
Although they sound similar, trafficking cocaine and selling cocaine are different crimes that result in different punishments. Selling cocaine means providing it locally. Trafficking occurs when the drug is being moved from one region to another. A guilty verdict on charges of trafficking cocaine can result in a maximum of fourteen years in a state penitentiary.
California has designed its laws pertaining to the sale of cocaine to keep dealers away from children and the places where they may congregate. Being charged with selling cocaine near a school or other facility where children gather could add an additional nine years to a prison sentence. More time could be added to a prison sentence if the defendant is an adult charged with selling to a minor, and more time yet if the seller is more than five years older than the buyer. Sentences resulting from the sale of cocaine on the grounds of any religious congregation center, school or youth center are automatically extended by one year.
As with all laws, consideration should be given to specific circumstances. Someone who has been charged with possession of cocaine several times may face a different sentence than someone facing their first charge. Similarly, someone charged with possessing thirty grams of the drug may face a different sentence than someone charged with possessing two grams.
There are maximum sentences that have to be applied after a guilty verdict, however the sentences range depending upon the severity of the crime. There are also a multitude of sentences that a person can be charged with depending on the circumstances of the case.
Anyone who has been charged with a cocaine related offense should immediately contact a drug defense attorney who is experienced in such cases.
