Clearwater Drug Crimes Lawyer

Drug Crime Defense Attorneys in Florida

Florida drug crimes can be classified as either felony or misdemeanor charges depending on the type of drug and the amount of the drug involved.

At Idrizi Law Group, our Clearwater drug crime lawyers have over 25 years of experience defending individuals accused of possession sale and trafficking of controlled substances throughout the Tampa Bay area. If you have been accused of a drug crime in Florida, we will fight to protect your rights.

Call Idrizi Law Group 24/7 at (727) 202-5499 or contact us online to get started.

Florida Drug Laws

Drug crimes are defined in Florida Statute 893.02 as involving any listed substance in Schedules I-V of Florida Statute 893.03. “Schedule” is the term used to rank different drugs by how dangerous they are based on how they affect the body and how addictive they can be.

From most to least severe in the eyes of the law, Florida’s five drug schedules are as follows:

• Schedule I: Substances with a high potential for abuse and no accepted medical use. These drugs are not considered to meet accepted safety standards for use, even under medical supervision. Examples include cannabis (marijuana), lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or ecstasy), and heroin.
• Schedule II: These substances have a high potential for abuse, but less so than Schedule I, and have accepted but very restricted uses in medical treatment in the U.S. Abuse may lead to severe psychological or physical dependence. Examples of Schedule II drugs include cocaine, hydrocodone, methamphetamine, and opium.
• Schedule III: Substances with less potential for abuse than Schedules I and II with accepted medical uses in treatment in the United States. Abuse could lead to moderate physical dependence and/or high psychological dependence. Examples include steroids, ketamine, nalorphine, and dronabinol (synthetic tetrahydrocannabinol [THC]).
• Schedule IV: Substances with less potential for abuse than Schedule III and accepted medical uses in treatment. Examples are alprazolam (Xanax), diazepam (Valium), clonazepam (Klonopin), and lorazepam (Ativan).
• Schedule V: Substances less likely to be abused relative to Schedule IV, and have currently accepted medical uses. Examples include compounds or mixtures containing limited quantities of substances such as opium, codeine, buprenorphine, dihydrocodeine, diphenoxylate, ethylmorphine, and pyrovalerone.

Typical Drug-Related Crimes in Florida

There are numerous drug-related crimes in Florida ranging from possession to trafficking. Our firm is available to defend against all kinds of drug crimes on the state level.

Some of the most common drug crimes in Florida include:

• Conspiracy to manufacture
• Drug manufacturing
• Drug possession
• Drug trafficking
• Possession with intent to sell
• Sale of drugs

Call the Idrizi Law Firm now at (727) 202-5499 to learn more about how we can help defend your case.

Florida Controlled Substance Punishments

Punishment for drug crimes depends on many factors such as the schedule of the drug involved, the defendant’s criminal history, whether the crime is considered a felony or misdemeanor, if the crime involved violence or weapons, and many other factors.

Potential penalties for drug crimes in Florida could include one or more of the following:

• Drug rehabilitation programs
• Fines
• Imprisonment
• Probation
• Community service

In some circumstances, an experienced drug crimes lawyer may be able to negotiate a pre-trial sentence for clients called “drug court.”

If a client successfully makes it through this special court, their criminal charges will be dropped; in some cases, immediate expungement may be available as well.

If you’ve been charged with a crime related to narcotics in Pinellas or Hillsborough Counties, you need an experienced attorney on your side. Idrizi Law Group has handled the defense of drug crimes ranging from cocaine sales to simple marijuana possession.

We’ve helped our clients avoid jail time, driver’s license suspensions, and other punishments. Our legal team is quite familiar with both the direct and collateral consequences involved in Florida drug cases and are ready to help.