Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Synthetic Herbal Substance Sales May Soon Be Targeted in the Tampa Area


St. Petersburg Criminal Attorney and Former State Prosecutor Melinda Morris of the Morris Law Firm discusses how synthetic marijuana (herbal incense) may be targeted as an illegal substance in the Tampa Bay Area.

Issue:

The Tampa City Council recently voted unanimously to investigate what options they may have to crack down on the currently legal sales of synthetic herbal substances sold in stores throughout the city.

The city council is targeting herbal substances that are presently available for legal purchase in many neighborhood stores and are marketed with cartoon characters and brightly colored packages.  The effects of the substances are often compared to the effects of marijuana.

The council members will hear from their attorneys what choices they have in regards to restricting the sale of the substances on March 1.



Why This Matters To You:

If the Tampa City Council is ultimately permitted to curb the sales of the synthetic marijuana substances, any purchase, possession or sale of these types of substances could result in criminal drug charges or marijuana charges in the Tampa Bay area of Florida.

For example, an individual who purchases the synthetic marijuana could be charged with drug possession, which can generally result in third degree felony charges in Florida, depending on which drug schedule the substance is classified.  However, if a store or merchant continues to sell the herbal substances, they can be charged with drug possession with intent to sell or distribute, which can be punishable as a felony of the second degree offense if the substance is categorized in Schedule I or Schedule II of Florida’s Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act.


What To Do Next:

If you have been charged with possession of drugs or marijuana in Tampa, contact a Criminal Defense Lawyer in Tampa Bay to discuss possible defenses and specific strategies that may exist in your case.  Call the Morris Law Firm at 727-388-4736 to discuss you case directly with an attorney, or fill out our Online Form to be contacted for a free initial consultation.  The Morris Law Firm can help. Attorney Melinda Morris has specific knowledge and experience in representing drug and marijuana offenses throughout Pinellas County the entire Tampa Bay, FL area (St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Tampa, Hillsborough, Pasco, Manatee, Sarasota, Largo, Dunedin and Bradenton).

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