Category Archives: Drug Charges
Pennsylvania Medical Marijuana Cardholders Prohibited from Owning Firearms
The Pennsylvania State Police recently released a reminder to state residents that it is illegal to possess both a firearm and a medical marijuana card. Even though some states have legalized marijuana for medical and recreational usage (or just medical, as in Pennsylvania’s case), the drug is still illegal at the federal level. Federal firearm […]
Driver Who Had License Suspended After Drug Conviction Sues to Repeal Pennsylvania Law
Russell Harold, a 52-year-old man from the Philadelphia area, has seen his fair share of legal troubles over the past few years. He was arrested in Philadelphia for drug possession when police caught him with prescription pills and marijuana in his pocket. He was sentenced to two years of probation, along with a two-year driver’s […]
State Lawmaker Pushes Marijuana Legalization After Study Shows Racial Disparity in Arrests
After a recent report reflected major racial disparities in the enforcement of marijuana crimes in Pennsylvania, State Rep. Ed Gainey of Pittsburgh decided to push to legalize (or at least decriminalize) the drug. A new resolution Rep. Gainey introduced into the state House of Representatives would “establish an advisory committee to conduct an ongoing study […]
Can I Go to Jail for Selling Fake Drugs?
From time to time, we hear a story about someone purchasing baking powder that the seller claimed to be cocaine or aspirin the seller passed off as OxyContin. In these situations, can the person who sold the “drugs” be sent to jail — even if the substances themselves were not real drugs? The short answer […]
What to Know About Juvenile Drug Possession
If you are an adult and you’ve been charged with a drug possession crime, your case would go through the regular court system. This process works differently for minors, who typically go through the juvenile court system instead. Any person under 18 who knowingly possess an illegal or controlled substance without a legal justification may […]
Major Pennsylvania Heroin Ring Busted Over the Summer
It was a big summer for law enforcement in Pennsylvania when it came to drugs. One of the biggest headlines was the bust of a $7.8 million heroin drug ring in the central part of the state, leading to 16 people being charged in connection to the drug trafficking system. Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro […]
New Pennsylvania DOC Program Aims to Reduce Re-Arrests
The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections hopes to expand a pilot program it launched in Pittsburgh and Scranton on a statewide level after early evaluations indicate it could reduce the chances people will be re-arrested for new crimes after their release from halfway houses. The department’s initial study focused on approximately 200 people who spent time […]
Attorney General Continues to Push for Tougher Sentences for Drug Crimes
U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has been persistent in his push for federal and state officials to get tougher on drug crimes by pushing for maximum sentences. Most recently, he personally asked congressional leaders to allow him to prosecute providers of medical marijuana. Federal protections for medical marijuana distributors have been in place since 2014. […]
