Criminal Lawyers in Fort Myers are aware of the dramatic increase in marijuana-related arrests since many states have begun legalizing possession under various statutes. It’s simply easier to get now that several states have legalized possession for recreational use. Florida only allows marijuana possession with a medical prescription, but that still opens the door for those individuals to give a little away to friends or family members. This is illegal and comes with potentially serious consequences.
Marijuana Usage Statistics
Marijuana use is relatively common. Research has found that about 12 percent of U.S. adults say they have used the substance in the previous year. The rate is substantially higher among adults in the age range of 18 to 25, with about 30 percent partaking in the activity in a 12-month time frame. Criminal Lawyers in Fort Myers are ready to assist when someone has purchased marijuana in another state and brought it back to Florida and has been apprehended.
Legal Considerations
The remarkable increase in arrests for marijuana possession has many U.S. residents, including legislators, feeling very troubled. They aren’t so much bothered by the increase in usage but by the seeming pointlessness of this law enforcement activity when so many of the nation’s residents approve of legalization. A poll cited by Newsweek shows that nearly 60 percent of U.S. residents support this measure as of 2017.
Law Enforcement Action
Nearly 600,000 people were arrested in this country for marijuana possession in 2016. Prosecuting people for this offense costs taxpayers millions of dollars every year and diverts police attention away from more serious crimes. More than 5 percent of people in jail are there because of marijuana possession. Research indicates that while marijuana use can have some negative consequences, it typically is not as harmful as the use of alcohol.
The federal government also still considers marijuana possession illegal, and members of the current administration have voiced opposition to the trend for states to legalize the drug. This factor makes the cases even more complicated. A person who has been arrested and charged with possession needs the assistance of an organization such as the Law Office Of James W. Chandler P.A.
