What are the Offences Behind Drug Possession?


Marijuana remains the most commonly available illicit drug in Texas, with 50% of drug possession arrests in recent years involving it. However, Houston has witnessed an increase in the supply of methamphetamine in recent years.

Getting charged for possessing such drugs in Houston can hurt your future. But an experienced Houston drug lawyer can offer plausible legal representation, according to the charges leveled up against you. They determine the best defense tactics to ensure the dismissal of drug possession charges you face. Here are the offenses behind drug possession they can help you with legally.

Possession of a Controlled Substance

The Texas Controlled Substances Act governs the possession of a controlled substance. It covers all illegal drugs and most prescription medications.

And, under Texas law, penalty groups 1, 1a, 2, 2a, 3, and 4 categorize the various controlled substances, except marijuana, and the set of penalties they carry.

Top defense attorneys in Houston ideally aim to get all the charges against you dismissed. However, if there is no hope for acquittal, they focus diligently on reducing your penalty to the least severe group, such as 4.

Possession of Marijuana

As of March 2017, marijuana laws state that those individuals caught with up to 4 ounces of weed will not face any legal action.

But a quantity over this limit can put you in jail for up to 180 days. You may also have to pay fines of up to $2k. And the maximum punishment you may face can be incarceration in TDC for 5 to 99 years and a fine up to $50k.

Experienced Houston lawyers will assess your case details to check the amount of marijuana involved. They will try proving you didn’t possess the drugs on you and building solid defenses, such as unreasonable search or seizure.

Drug Possession with Intent to Manufacture

DEA classifies Houston as a High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, a primary center of illegal drug production. And the dismantling of the drug operation, Operation Hielo Mexicano, reveals just how well crystal meth has grasped Houston on the illicit drug manufacturing front.

The prosecution will try proving your offense, with aspects such as the drug’s presence being inconsistent with personal use.

But a skilled Houston drug lawyer will offer the best defense against such arguments from the prosecution side. They ensure no factor proves you possessed drugs with the intention of manufacturing.

Drug Possession with Intent to Distribute

The Texas Health and Safety Code defines distribution as delivering a controlled substance other than via dispensing it.

But in recent years, the methamphetamine-related deaths in Houston spiked as Mexican cartels began distributing crystal meth across the city by trucks and passenger cars.

A Houston lawyer will defend you against the charges of possessing drugs for distribution and delivery. They focus on proving that you are not aware of the presence of the drugs and not a part of its distribution process.

Consult an Experienced Drug Lawyer in Houston

As per a 2016 report, the highest quantity of illicit drugs seized in the Houston area was in Harris County, about 472.9 pounds.

If you face charges of possession of such drugs, contact a reputed drug lawyer. They will defend you in the best possible way, no matter how severe the allegations against you are, ensuring you a confirmed win.