Drug paraphernalia can add to your charges

If you are suspected of involvement in a drug-related offense, you could face a lengthy investigation. This may lead to your home, vehicle and your person being searched or even your friends and family being questioned. Furthermore, if any illegal substances are found, authorities will want to determine whether they belong to you and what your intentions for them are.

For example, if you have a large quantity of an illegal substance on your person, police may assume that you had intended to distribute it. This in turn could exacerbate the charges against you. However, if the drugs were found in your house, particularly if you were not the only resident, the ownership of the drugs may be called into question.

It is not only the drugs themselves that can get you into trouble. As is explained in this article, even equipment associated with drug use can be deemed illegal. However, distinguishing an item as a piece of drug paraphernalia is not always straightforward. For example, if there is no drug residue, it could be argued that the equipment served another purpose.

Alternatively, if a piece of equipment is sold as drug paraphernalia, even if it is unused, it might be enough to add to the charges you face. As we have seen before, drug-related offenses can carry serious penalties, such as fines or jail time, so it is important to be aware of your state’s laws. If you face charges of this nature, an attorney may be able to support you and guide you through the process of constructing your defense.