Marijuana, also known as “pot” or “weed,” is one of the most controversial drugs out there. It is in headlines, and legislation involving it is in many statehouses across the country. Everyone knows what the debate for or against regulation or legalization is, but you might not know about the legal side of marijuana law right now.
Marijuana, as of now, is decriminalized in Lansing, Michigan under state law. Possession of one ounce or less of marijuana per one adult is legal. The complication is that, despite the state law, marijuana possession, of any amount, is still illegal under federal law. This has led to significant back and forth in the statehouse and in Washington, D.C.
However, in a recent elections and state legislative talks, voters in East Lansing voted to bring the one ounce limit on marijuana possession to their city. This is a major move within the state of Michigan. However, marijuana possession and use is still illegal on the campus of Michigan State University and any federal buildings or properties. There is still significant confusion, as it is legal at a state level yet illegal at a federal level. State authorities and civil servants are making attempts at clarifying laws to citizens like you to avoid unjust accusations from federal officials.
Multiple proposals are being drafted across Michigan, including Lansing, which could completely decriminalize pot and see it taxed and sold by the government. Sufficed to say, marijuana law is murky. As such, act before you are convicted. Approaching these charges without legal aid is a dangerous mistake. The police and the prosecution are excellent at building a case on the weaknesses of an uninformed defendant. A veteran drug crime lawyer knows what to say, what to do, and what you need to know. The moment you are arrested and charged, we advise you find legal help as soon as humanly possible.
The other element of marijuana law is the presence of medical marijuana licenses. This initiative is legal in the state of Michigan and certain patients can be approved to smoke it by a medical professional. In Lansing, medical marijuana registration and standards are overseen by the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA). Certain debilitating conditions can be helped by the use of pot. These include: cancer, glaucoma, HIV/AIDS, PTSD, Hepatitis C, Crohn’s Disease, and many more. Applications for any of these conditions can be found through the LARA portion of the Michigan.gov website. If you are registered on this list, you can legally use and carry amounts of pot that may exceed the otherwise legal limit.
No matter how vibrant the debate about its legality is, it is not going to help you if you are arrested with possession of marijuana in amounts larger than one ounce. Possession of marijuana can be a light offense. Usually resulting in jail time or fines, being caught with small amounts on your person is usually settled under “possession.” However, if you’re arrested with larger amounts of pot on you the prosecutor may push for “possession with intent to sell/deliver.” These charges are presuming that you are going to both consume the product and sell it. This upgraded charge carries greatly increased penalties and sentences.
Your first action should be to immediately contact a lawyer. Though the advice in this article will help you, you will need someone who can protect you in court and fight on your side. You need a lawyer who knows all the details of the law and the people who can help defend your freedom. With years of experience, we highly recommend that you contact Grabel & Associates.
Possession with intent falls under schedule one or schedule two drug charges. These fall in with drugs like cocaine, meth, and LSD. Sufficed to say, they are far more severe than a simple possession charge. The amount of marijuana you had on your person at the time of the arrest is very important at this stage of your case. The fines range from $25,000 to $1,000,000. Jail time sentences can range from 20 years to life in prison. The odds of facing the maximum sentence are unlikely unless you are dealing in tons of marijuana. However, even the lowest sentence will still rob years of your life and affect not only you, but your loved ones as well.
As the controversial laws surrounding marijuana work out, the state of Michigan continues to be vigilant for illegal marijuana dealers and transporters. For this reason, they strongly pursue even the impression of a marijuana dealer. Do not allow a simple possession charge to be transformed into a possession with intent to deliver charge.
If you have already been convicted of a possession with intent to deliver, you are not without hope. We can help you explore sentencing options and possibly appeal the ruling. Anything can help in this situation. If you are caught with less than five kilograms of pot, the average sentence is 4 years in prison with a possible $20,000 fine attached to it. We can fight to keep you at that minimum sentencing and stop the prosecutors from imposing a harsher sentence than you deserve. If you do not appropriately defend yourself, you could see an additional two years added to your sentence because of simple mistakes in your trial preparation.
Drug law is a tricky situation, particularly in Lansing, Michigan. You need an experienced legal team that knows the laws of Lansing, Michigan as well as the prosecution. Our team at Grabel & Associates has a deep knowledge of drug crime tactics and defense. We are available 24/7 online or by phone at 1-800-342-7896. Contact us for a free consultation and we will begin building your legal defense against a Possession with Intent to Deliver charge.