Southern California Felony Drug Charge Lawyers
All drug charges must be taken extremely seriously and handled by a defense attorney who has experience representing similar matters. If you are facing drug charges, you should contact a Long Beach felony drug charge attorney at the Law Firm of Joseph Hawkins Low IV to discuss your case with a skilled professional. We have successfully represented numerous clients, who have been charged with felony and misdemeanor drug charges, and had their charges dropped or sentences reduced. Contact the Law Firm of Joseph Hawkins Low IV to ensure that your rights are being protected by a dedicated attorney who wants to help you.
In the United States, all drug related crimes are aggressively prosecuted and harshly punished. In an attempt to keep drug penalties consistent with the crime, law enforcement uses a "drug schedule." The drug schedule is a widely used format that divides drugs into five categories, based on type of drug, the amount of the substance, and other factors.
Listed below is a brief description of the drug schedules:
Schedule 1
These substances have a high potential for abuse, do not have a medical use, and are dangerous even with a medical professional supervising the usage. Schedule 1 substances include LSD, Heroin, Mescaline, Psilocybin, Cocaine, and Mescaline.
Schedule 2
These substances place users at an increased potential for abuse, may cause physical or psychological dependency, and are allowed to be taken for medical purposes (although restrictions do apply). It is illegal to buy, sell, or possess any drugs that are listed under Schedule 2 without a prescription. Schedule 2 substances include Methamphetamines, Morphine, Codeine, Methadone, Opium, and Amphetamines.
Schedule 3
These substances have a slight potential for abuse, as compared to the substances that are listed under Schedules 1 and 2, with a risk for low levels of physical or psychological dependence. Schedule 3 substances include Anabolic Steroids, Ketamine, Lysergic Acid, and Vinbarbital.
Schedule 4
These substances have a small probability of abuse, as compared to the substances in Schedules 1, 2, and 3. All substances under Schedule 4 are accepted for medical use, and place users at a low risk for physical or psychological dependency. Schedule 4 substances include Diazepam (Valium), Phenobarbital, Clonazepam (Klonopin), and Sibutramine (Meridia).
Schedule 5
These substances have a very low potential for abuse, as compared to other drugs categorized under Schedules 1 through 4. All of the substances are acceptable to be used for medical purposes and place the user at a very minimal risk for dependency.
Depending upon the amount of the drug in a person's possession, he or she may be faced with a lengthy prison term, an expensive monetary fine, and other severe consequences. In a situation in which the defendant has already had two or more similar convictions, they may face life imprisonment. As you can see, it is extremely important that you hire an accomplished drug offense attorney from the Law Firm of Joseph Hawkins Low IV if you have been charged with any drug crime in California.
