A Marijuana possession charge in Stafford County may prove to be troublesome. If convicted of this offense, you may potentially be required to pay fines, perform community service, and in some cases, be sent to jail. If you have been charged with this offense, you should consult an experienced attorney. A Stafford County marijuana possession lawyer may be able to provide you with the legal representation you deserve.
Marijuana charges have similarities and differences to other kinds of charges. Marijuana is still illegal to possess in Virginia, it is also illegal to sell, manufacture, or distribute marijuana. However, the statutes that relate to that drug are less harsh than the laws that pertain to harder drugs such as opiates.
For example, possessing marijuana is a misdemeanor, whereas possessing heroin is a felony. It is also even possible to be charged with a misdemeanor version of possession with intent to distribute marijuana so long as the quantity is less than five pounds. This would not be true for other kinds of party drugs.
A misdemeanor conviction related to marijuana still has a significant negative impact on someone’s life. Individuals still face the risk of a felony record as a result of manufacturing marijuana or possessing it with intent to distribute.
Decriminalization has not had much of an influence on the way Stafford County enforce their laws. It certainly is true that neighboring jurisdictions such as Maryland and the District of Columbia have either decriminalized or softened their stances and that there are many more people in the Washington DC metro area of which Stafford County is suburb too, who may incorrectly believe that it is not a serious implication to be in possession of a small amount of marijuana.
Virginia has taken no steps towards decriminalization and there is no real indication that that is going to change soon. Marijuana possession is still a serious offense in Virginia no matter what state you may be coming from. However, there are probably less long-term implications of a marijuana possession charge because people now have the ability to move to a jurisdiction that has a reputation for better treatment of prior marijuana convictions. There is a greater understanding of what that drug is and what its effects are.
Most of the searches of vehicles and the persons that end up turning drugs in the search and not just marijuana but other drugs are going to begin with an officer asserting that they smell marijuana either fresh or burnt. Even if a person has been smoking in their car a week ago or a day ago, the smell lingers and in many cases that is going to be the doorway for a police officer to then search a vehicle. Other drugs such as prescriptions drugs that are illegal or other harder drugs that are illegal under Virginia law are much more difficult to detect.
If you have been charged with a Stafford County marijuana possession, you should consider speaking with an experienced attorney. By speaking with a Stafford County marijuana possession lawyer, you are also speaking with a trustworthy and dedicated attorney who will have your best interests in mind.
Northern Virginia Criminal Defense Group
