Currently, more than 20 states have decriminalized marijuana possession
for personal use, 21 to be exact and there are likely to be more in the
coming years. While
marijuana possession is still highly frowned upon and highly illegal in Arizona,
nearby states, such as California, Nevada, and Colorado have already decriminalized cannabis.
Many medical experts have been changing their minds recently too. For example,
Sanjay Gupta, CNN’s chief medical correspondent, changed his mind about medical
marijuana,
Business Insider reported. While smoking marijuana for recreational reasons is still under
question, more and more Americans are smoking pot because it helps them
with their medical problems.
As of this writing, medical marijuana is being used to treat numerous medical
conditions, such as glaucoma, epileptic seizures, Dravet’s Syndrome,
cancer, anxiety, Azheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, muscle
spasms, inflammatory bowel diseases, arthritis, Lupus and more.
Despite all of the purported medical benefits, Arizona state law still
criminalizes all marijuana offenses. In fact, Arizona has some of the
heftiest fines in the nation associated with marijuana possession, even
for the smallest amounts.
For example, in our neighbor Utah, if you are caught possessing less than
one ounce of marijuana, you face misdemeanor charges, up to 6 months in
jail, and a fine not to exceed $1,000.
In contrast, if you are caught with less than one ounce of marijuana in
Phoenix or anywhere else in Arizona, you face
felony charges, between 4 months and 2 years behind bars, and up to a $150,000 fine!
Penalties for marijuana possession in Arizona:
-
Less than 2 pounds is a
felony, punishable by up to 2 years in prison, and a fine not to exceed $150,000.
- 2 to less than 4 pounds is a felony, punishable by up to 2.5 years in prison,
and a fine not to exceed $150,000.
- 4 pounds or more is a felony, punishable by up to 3.75 years in prison,
and a fine not to exceed $150,000.
If you are caught
selling less than two pounds of marijuana, you face felony charges and up to 3.75
years in prison and a fine not to exceed $150,000. Like all drug offenses,
the penalties for selling marijuana increase according to the amount.
For example, selling more than four pounds is punishable by up to 12.5
years in prison and a fine not to exceed $150,000.
If you, or someone you love is facing marijuana charges, even if it’s
for possessing a small amount, you still face a felony conviction, incarceration,
and possibly tens of thousands in fines. You need help now –
contact the Law Offices of Joshua S. Davidson, PLC to discuss your case with a
former prosecutor for free!