Marijuana is illegal in the United States.
At the time of writing 18 states plus the District of Columbia have some sort of a “medical” marijuana law either making it possible for doctors to prescribe the herb or decriminalizing medical possession in some way. Colorado and Washington state voted November 6, 2012 to legalize it also for recreational use.
The Controlled Substances Act (CSA), 21 U.S.C 801, et seq classifies marijuana as a Schedule 1 drug: the same category as Heroin, LSD and PCP. This classification is reserved for substances that have a high potential for abuse and have NO known medical value.
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Schedule 1 No accepted medical use High potential for abuse Heroin LSD PCP Marijuana |
Schedule 11 Accepted Medical use with severe restrictions High potential of abuse Cocaine Opium Methadone |
Schedule 111 Accepted medical use Some potential for abuse Amphetamine Anabolic Steroids Codeine Synthetic THC – Dranabinol |
In some states the possession of even very small amounts of marijuana can be a felony offense. It is important to know your state and local laws. Even in states that do not have medical marijuana laws, there is a great variability of how marijuana laws are enforced. To learn about marijuana laws in your state click here.
Many people are unaware of the legal consequences that a possession of marijuana (POM) conviction bares. It can come with the revocation of your driver’s license, disqualification for federal student aid, ineligibility to apply for certain universities, and social stigma from your community, employer and potential employers.
Chronic Relief cannot emphasize enough the importance of understanding your rights under the fourth, fifth and sixth amendments. Nationally respected criminal defense attorney Jamie Balagia shares detailed information on his website www.420dude.com about how to handle yourself, should you ever have an encounter with the law enforcement. Mr. Balagia is marijuana activist in his spare time and works closely with the San Antonio chapter of NORML. Find a lawyer in your state by visiting www.norml.org.
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