If you or a loved one has been arrested for a violation of the Controlled Substance Act, you need serious legal help. Mandatory minimum sentences and federal sentencing guidelines make avoiding convictions on serious charges essential to staying out of prison. Contact the Law Offices of Geoffrey G. Nathan for help.
The Controlled Substances Act
The Controlled Substances Act provides penalties for unlawful manufacturing, distribution, and dispensing of controlled substances. Penalties under these laws can apply to both sellers and users of drugs, and even to physicians who stand accused of writing too many prescriptions.
Drug Schedules
All controlled substances are found on lists known as Drug Schedules, where they are ranked according to potential for abuse versus the potential benefit of medicinal use. The higher up on the schedule a drug is found, the more stringently it is regulated. Controlled substances on Schedule I of the federal schedule have no approved medicinal use, and high potential for abuse. The other end of the spectrum is Schedule V drugs, which have low risk of abuse, little risk of dependence, and wide medicinal uses.
While state and federal schedules have some variance, and may be organized differently, (Massachusetts, for example, ranks the drugs A-E), drugs are usually found on the same corresponding level. The following are some of the better known drugs and their place on the federal drug schedules
- Schedule I - heroin, LSD, mescaline, marijuana, Ecstasy, and peyote
- Schedule II - Opium, cocaine, methadone, OxyContin, and methamphetamines
- Schedule III - various steroids, Vicodin
- Schedule IV - Xanax, Valium, Ambien, Rohypnol
- Schedule V - cough suppressants with small amounts of codeine or other narcotics
Penalties
There is a wide range of penalties for controlled substance violations. They will depend on where the controlled substance is listed on the drug schedules, the quantity of possession, past convictions, and evidence of violence or weapons charges associated with the drug offenses. Regardless of what you may be facing, an expert lawyer is a necessity with any type of controlled substance charges.
Contact the Law Offices of Geoffrey G. Nathan
Though aggressive representative both before and during trial, an experienced controlled substances attorney in Boston can give you your best shot at staying out of jail. Attorney Nathan has a proven track record of success dealing with serious criminal matters, and can help you with either state or federal charges. Contact the Law Offices of Geoffrey G. Nathan today.