Michigan Prescription Drug Abuse Attorneys
Michigan drug laws are designed to crack down on the illegal possession, use, or distribution of prescription medications.
A drug can be legal when prescribed by a doctor, yet it can be illegal when someone uses it without a valid prescription. If you are being investigated for a prescription drug crime, you need to have a good Michigan drug crime defense lawyer on your side.
If you have been charged with an prescription drug crime in Traverse City, Grand Rapids, Ann Arbor, Detroit, Lansing, or throughout Michigan, you need an aggressive drug defense attorney to defend your rights.
Prescription drug abuse is on the rise in Michigan. There are many possible ways for someone to acquire prescription drugs for illegal use. Some people obtain the prescription drugs from a person who has a valid prescription. Some people steal a doctor’s official prescription pad and forge the doctor’s signature for the medication, while some create a counterfeit prescription that resembles a doctor’s official prescription. Some people do what is called "Doctor Shopping," which is going to many different doctors complaining about a medical condition to get prescriptions from each of them.
Most prescription drugs that people abuse are pain medications. If taken in a high enough dosage, the sensation is similar to the use of an illegal drug. Sometimes, a person is legally prescribed a pain medication and he or she develops a prescription drug addiction after long-term use. Additionally, research conducted by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy indicates that Michigan has one of the highest rates of teen prescription drug abuse in the nation.
OxyContin
People in Michigan are commonly prosecuted for crimes involving OxyContin. OxyContin—also called Oxy, Ox, and Cotton—is a Schedule 2 drug under the Controlled Substances Act. In Michigan, if you are found guilty of a crime involving OxyContin, your sentence could involve jail or prison.
OxyContin use is a misdemeanor drug crime in Michigan and if you are convicted of using OxyContin, you could go to jail for up to one year, pay a fine of up to $2,000, or both.
OxyContin possession is a felony drug crime in Michigan. The duration of potential prison time and fines depends on the amount of OxyContin you illegally possessed:
• If you illegally possessed less than 50 grams of OxyContin, you could go to prison for up to four years, pay a fine of up to $25,000, or both.
• If you illegally possessed 50 grams of OxyContin to 449 grams of OxyContin, you could go to prison for up to 20 years, pay a fine of up to $250,000, or both.
• If you illegally possessed 450 grams of OxyContin to 999 grams of OxyContin, you could go to prison for up to 30 years, pay a fine of up to $500,000, or both.
• If you illegally possessed 1,000 grams or more of OxyContin, you could go to prison for your entire life, pay a fine of $1,000,000, or both.
Manufacturing OxyContin, creating OxyContin, delivering OxyContin, and possessing OxyContin with the intent to manufacture OxyContin, create OxyContin, or deliver OxyContin are all felony drug crimes in Michigan. The sentences for these crimes also depend on the amount of illegal OxyContin involved:
• If it was less than 50 grams of OxyContin, you could go to prison for up to 20 years, pay a fine of up to $25,000, or both.
• If it was 50 grams of OxyContin to 449 grams of OxyContin, you could go to prison for up to 20 years, pay a fine of up to $250,000, or both.
• If it was 450 grams of OxyContin to 999 grams of OxyContin, you could go to prison for up to 30 years, pay a fine of up to $500,000, or both.
• If it was 1,000 grams or more of OxyContin, you could go to prison for up to your entire life, pay a fine of up to $1,000,000, or both.
Vicodin
Street names for Vicodin include Vike and Watson-387. Vicodin is a legal prescription drug in Michigan. However, people are commonly arrested and prosecuted for illegal Vicodin crimes. Vicodin is a Schedule 3 drug under the Controlled Substances Act, and is commonly used as a prescription pain killer.
Vicodin use is a misdemeanor in Michigan. If charged with the use of Vicodin, you could go to jail for up to one year or pay a fine of $1,000, or both.
Vicodin possession is a felony drug crime in Michigan and you could go to prison for up to two years, pay a fine of up to $2,000, or both.
Vicodin manufacture, Vicodin creation, Vicodin delivery, and possessing Vicodin with the intent to manufacture Vicodin, create Vicodin, or deliver Vicodin are all felony drug crimes in Michigan. If convicted of any of these crimes, you could go to prison for up to 7 years, pay a fine of up to $10,000, or both.
Other factors could increase your sentence, such as your prior drug record, the age of the person you distributed illegal prescription drugs to, or prescription drug crimes occurring near schools, houses, businesses, parks, and churches. Your driving privileges will be taken away for up to one year, depending on how many recent prior drug convictions you have. Also, if you are not a doctor and are caught with a doctor’s official prescription form, or if you are caught with a forged prescription form, your sentence can be just as harsh as if you are actually caught with illegal prescription drugs.
The drug crimes discussed on this page are under the Michigan drug laws. It is possible that a Defendant could also be charged with a violation of federal drug laws or local drug laws. For that reason, it is imperative that you hire a Michigan drug crime attorney who has the experience to navigate multiple drug charges.
As you can see, prescription drug laws in Michigan are severe. If charged with a drug crime, you cannot afford to be poorly represented. At Kronzek & Cronkright, PLLC, we have successfully defended prescription drug charges throughout Michigan. Call us at (866)-7NoJail (866-766-5245) to discuss your case. Our lawyers answer the phones 24 hours per day and offer you a free initial consultation.
Contact a Michigan Drug Attorney today! Call us at 1-866-7NOJAIL (1-866-766-5245) or e-mail us today!
