A recent article from
The Washington Post has gone viral, as a recent DEA survey revealed that marijuana is one
of the lowest concerns of many law enforcement agencies. While this information
isn’t particularly surprising, it does serve to underscore the nation’s
rapidly shifting opinions on marijuana.
Perhaps the biggest takeaway of this survey is that police are less focused
on marijuana, and are more aggressively cracking down on the prevalence
of heroin, methamphetamine, and other hard drugs. This is especially true
here in California, where medical marijuana laws and decriminalization
efforts have moved marijuana crimes to the back of most police agendas.
If you’re facing charges related to the possession of illicit drugs,
contact our Modesto criminal defense attorney for the tough representation you need.
The Perceived Threat of Drugs
In this survey, the Drug Enforcement Agency took a poll of more than 1,000
law enforcement agencies designed to represent a cross-section of the
nation. They asked these agencies to name which drug they believed posed
the biggest threat, and the results were as follows:
-
Heroin –
38%
-
Methamphetamine –33%
-
Prescription painkillers
– 15%
-
Cocaine –
7%
-
Marijuana –
6%
In responding to the survey, many local and state police agencies have
stated that marijuana is simply not a big driver of crime. This confirms
what most of us already know, yet police continue to aggressively enforce
marijuana possession laws in states across the nation. The DEA is also
still committed to “eradicate” all cannabis plants in the
U.S., wasting millions of taxpayer dollars in the process.
Smarter Policing is Already Here
California has not completely legalized marijuana the way Washington and
Colorado have, but casual users will typically only face a relatively
small fine if they are caught in possession. Although attempting to sell,
transport, or distribute large amounts of the drug can still lead to felony
charges, it’s safe to say that most police agencies are far more
concerned with cracking down on harder drugs.
At the Law Offices of Mark W. Girdner, we firmly believe that everyone
facing criminal charges deserves to have their story heard in court. When
you retain our Modesto drug crimes attorney, we will fight tirelessly
to defeat the drug charges against you.
Don’t take risks with your defense – call our experienced lawyer
today for your free initial consultation.