Florida has a number of drug laws on the books. While some of these statutes allow for the legal use of some narcotics, such as prescribed pain medications, most of them prohibit the manufacturing, distribution, possession, and use of illegal drugs.
When individuals are caught breaking these laws they can face serious drug charges. Some of the most severe drug charges are those that involve methamphetamine (meth). Simple possession of the drug is a third degree felony, which could result in a five-year prison sentence upon conviction. If the person is caught with the chemicals needed to manufacture meth and has the intent to do so, then he or she has committed a second-degree felony. This offense could result in a 15-year prison sentence. Those individuals who are convicted of selling meth could face between three and 15 years in prison depending on the amount the person is convicted of selling.
These are very serious potential consequences, and Florida’s prosecutors take meth possession seriously. However, everyone has constitutional rights after being charged with a crime. The most important one is that they are innocent until proven guilty. There are many rules that the police must follow when they stop people and search their person, vehicle, or home. If the police violate these rules then the evidence they gathered during the search could be inadmissible in court. This suppression of evidence could result in serious charges being dropped.
Many people in Florida are charged with meth possession or possession of other types of drugs. These are serious charges, which is why it is important that people know their rights. People are not automatically deemed guilty simply because they are charged. In fact, many accused individuals have good defenses available to them. Consulting with an experienced criminal defense attorney could be very useful to individuals who face these serious charges.