As a Fullerton lawyer, we help clients that have been charged with a drug crime. In California, the drug laws can be complicated and confusing. As such, it can be difficult for people to know whether or not they are following the law, making them susceptible to breaking it without even trying to. This is especially true with California marijuana laws, leading many people to be charged with cultivation.
In California, it is legal to grow marijuana, but only if a doctor has recommended that you do so. You need to have a written recommendation and a medical marijuana card in order to grow it. Still, there is a limit to how much you can grow, and if you exceed that amount, you can be charged with drug cultivation. This is a serious crime that can lead to jail time so if you are arrested and charged with cultivation, make sure that you contact an attorney right away.
You can also be charged with drug cultivation even if you don’t have actual drugs. If you are caught with the chemicals necessary for creating meth or PCP, you can be arrested. The only exception is if you are carrying a permit allowing you to do so. If, for example, you are pulled over by the police and they find chemicals they can arrest you. This can be challenging for people that have nothing to do with drugs and were unaware they had some of the ingredients necessary to create them. This makes it important to refuse a search without a warrant and to speak with a Fullerton lawyer right away if you are arrested.
The penalties for drug cultivation vary based on the type of drugs that they believe you are trying to make. If, for example, you are caught with too much marijuana you could face around two years in jail but the penalties are typically less. As a Fullerton lawyer, we can help to get the penalties further reduced by demonstrating that you were not growing marijuana in order to sell it but to use it personally. This comes with a lesser penalty. The same is true when carrying the chemicals necessary for creating PCP and meth. If we can prove that you were using the drugs instead of selling them, the penalty will be reduced from the seven years that it can be.
If you have never been charged with a crime before, you still need to hire an attorney. If you are convicted of a drug crime, you will likely spend time in jail and no matter what, you will have a criminal record. This can impact your ability to get and maintain a job, get custody of your kids and even rent an apartment in the future. If you are convicted, your entire life can be disrupted, so this is a chance not worth taking. Instead, get professional help so that you have the best shot at staying free.
