People who are involved with illegal drugs can face a host of drug charges in relation to their activities. It is imperative for you to understand that not all drug charges lead to the same penalties. Some charges, including possession of drug paraphernalia, have penalties that aren’t as serious as those for drug trafficking. If you are facing drug charges of any sort, keep these points in mind.

Drug paraphernalia charges have to do with items used in conjunction with drugs. A digital scale, razor blade and small baggies might be considered paraphernalia associated with packaging and selling drugs. A bong or syringe might be considered paraphernalia associated with doing drugs.

Drug possession charges are another type of criminal charge. In these cases, you would likely only have a small amount of a drug on your person or in your possession. It is important for you to know that drug possession doesn’t necessarily mean that you have the drugs in your pocket or purse. You can face these charges if the drugs are in an area that you have control over.

Criminal charges for selling or distributing drugs often come when you have larger quantities of drugs. Oftentimes, these drugs are packaged for selling them. Cash might also be present in these cases.

Very large amounts of drugs might lead to drug trafficking charges. This is also possible if you are carrying drugs from one state to another. Typically, drug trafficking charges carry very harsh penalties.

In each of these cases, you should learn about how you can defend yourself against the charges. You should also learn about the options that you have, such as drug court, for resolving the case.

Source: FindLaw, “Types of Drug Crimes,” accessed April 07, 2017