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Stafford County Drug Laws

Drug crimes are taken incredibly seriously in Stafford County. The drug laws in this county can sometimes be severe, and can often be difficult to understand by an individual charged with such a crime. With penalties including massive fines and potential incarceration, it is important to know what defenses you have available when fighting a drug charge.

The assistance of a knowledgeable lawyer is invaluable in these instances, and will be able to help you lessen any penalties you may be facing.

Legality of Emerging Substances

There are always new substances that come onto the market, which are not specifically contemplated by Virginia law, federal law, or Stafford County drug law. Charges arise as different substances are introduced to individuals, and there can often be gray areas in the law in terms of whether a particular substance is actually illegal in Virginia. With the legalization of marijuana, there are many people who have permission from their home state to possess or carry it, either for personal or medical reasons.

Whether various types of possession or use of illegal substances are going to be legal in Stafford County because of the actions of another state depends a lot on the facts and circumstances of the particular case.

Classification of Drugs

Drugs are classified under Virginia law with reference to the schedules that are set forth in federal law. The most serious drug crimes are found in either Schedule I or Schedule II. This includes all of the most common kinds of controlled substances such as oxycodone, heroin, methamphetamine, PCP, cocaine, and many others.

Common Drug Offenses

The two major crimes that law enforcement officers are currently charging individuals with are the possession of illegal prescription drugs, particularly prescription narcotics, and heroin. There are currently huge numbers of prescription drugs on the market, which in most cases begins with a legal prescription of some kind, but then escalates to illegal possession when the person no longer has a valid prescription.

In addition, there is a large amount of heroin on the market. The resurgence of this particular drug comes with a large number of fatalities when heroin is used in its purest form, or when it is misused in terms of quantity. For those reasons, law enforcement is attempting to crack down.

Enforcement Procedures

Enforcement of Stafford County drug possession laws comes most frequently during traffic stops. Most individuals are unlikely to encounter the police either on the street or at their homes, so officers turn to the road. Law enforcement officers use the rationale that almost everyone drives a car, and at some point or another finds themselves pulled over for a traffic violation.

Many of these stops turn into searches of an individual’s vehicle because the police smell something suspicious, utilize a drug dog, or have some other reason to legally search the vehicle. Charges often come about from these sets of circumstances. A person who gets pulled over for a broken tail light may find a drug dog running around their vehicle, which is a legal practice as long as the stop is not delayed in order make it happen.

Benefits of an Attorney

The drug laws in Stafford County can sometimes be overwhelming or difficult to understand. If you have been charged with a drug-related crime, it is pertinent that you contact an attorney immediately. A lawyer can help you better understand the crime you have been charged with, and begin preparing possible defenses.

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