You Can be Arrested Just for Appearing to be High on Meth

Wall New Jersey Criminal Defense Attorneys serving Monmouth County, Ocean County, Middlesex County and all surrounding NJ areas.

Posted: September 5, 2013

NJ Police Take Even Suspected Methamphetamine Use Seriously

Crystal Meth, Courtesy DEA

Methamphetamine —also known as speed, crystal, crank, and ice—is a chemical that has a near-immediate effect on the central nervous system when it’s snorted, smoked or injected. As its most common name, “speed,” implies, methamphetamine is a powerful stimulant, which produces feelings of euphoria and boundless energy in most users until the inevitable crash, which often triggers the desire to smoke more meth.

Much like crack cocaine, the abuse of methamphetamine has been singled out by government authorities because of the drug’s pernicious effects. The use or possession of even a small amount of meth canresult in severe criminal penalties.

You Can be Arrested Just for Appearing to be “High” on Meth

Methamphetamine abusers often show a distinct mixture of agitation, paranoia, and various bodily “tics.” Based on this distinct set of symptoms, in the state of New Jersey, police are empowered to arrest individuals who exhibit common signs of being high on meth.

In New Jersey, the increased community focus on methamphetamine abuse means that possession of more than half an ounce of this drug will often result in a charge of “intent to distribute,” which carries more severe penalties than simple use or possession.

Unlike cocaine, LSD, and other controlled substances, methamphetamine can be “cooked” (manufactured) in home laboratories from over-the-counter medications like Sudafed and Vicks, through a highly combustible process that itself claims many lives each year from meth-lab explosions and fires.

In the state of New Jersey, there are a bewildering array of statutes that mandate increased penalties for the use, possession or distribution of illegal drugs in various vicinities. For example, if you have been caught using or carrying methamphetamine within 1,000 feet of a school or school bus, or within 500 feet of a housing project or public park, a simple charge of possession can escalate into something much more serious, involving increased fines and mandatory jail time. Because schools, parks and housing projects tend to pile up on one another in the inner city, it’s easy to get caught up in big trouble even from “simple,” one-time, first-offense amphetamine use.

Free Consultation with an Experience Criminal Defense Trial Lawyer

If you have been arrested for meth use or possession, you owe it to yourself to call our firm today for a free consultation; phone 732-333-3011 . The drug possession attorneys at Clark & Noonan, LLC have spent their entire careers in the court room and will give you the peace of mind and confidence that you need while we successfully defend your case.

Contact our offices in Wall, New Jersey, to discuss your matter in a free consultation with one of our NJ criminal defense lawyers right away.

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