For a long time in Philadelphia and the rest of the U.S., there have been many campaigns to stop people from using drugs. Many drugs are considered dangerous and are illegal. However, despite these efforts, many people still use these drugs. There are a wide variety of illegal drugs that people use though, and each drug charge comes with its own consequences.
Statistics show that, in Philadelphia, marijuana was the most found drug in the urinalysis tests provided by parolees. It was also the drug seized most in drug reports. Cocaine seems to be the second most common drug seized and analyzed in drug reports. Heroin ranked third for the amount seized by drug reports. However, heroin was the drug that brought the most women to treatment centers. Other major drugs such as Oxycodone, benzodiazepines, PCP, meth and others were also frequently found in Philadelphia.
People who are caught with these drugs may be facing severe consequences as a result. Drug possession can be a serious offense, which can result in large fines and even jail time. The potential penalty depends on a number of factors, but the biggest factor is the type of drug. The more serious the drug, such as heroin, the harsher the penalties will be.
However, simply being charged with drug possession does not mean that the person is guilty. There are many defenses to drug possession charges, depending on the specific facts of the case. Many of these defenses begin with whether the police legally searched for and seized the drugs. Legal help may be available to those seeking to defend against drug charges or who feel their rights have been violated.
Source: National Institute on Drug Abuse, “Drug abuse trends and patterns in Philadelphia – Update: January 2014” Suet T. Lim, Ph.D., Feb. 2014
