Illegal Drugs

The Effect of Drugs on Crime

Larry Reid Jr. and Elizabeth Sue Donaldson are the latest statistics in an ever-burgeoning category of criminals in the United States and especially here in North Carolina. The two Cherokee County residents robbed a Parker’s...more

Heroin Prevalence: The Real Crime

Amazing what a difference 35 years or so can make. In 1936 a well-meaning church group, joined by an ensemble of really bad actors, produced an anti-drug propaganda movie called Reefer Madness, a terrifying tale of...more

Short Wins - And More On Jury Nullification

Six new cases from the federal circuits this week. My favorite - a subjective measure, I know - is United States v. Ramirez. Any time a court, even the Ninth Circuit, vacates a drug conspiracy conviction for insufficient...more

A “Growing” Trend

Folks have been using marijuana as a recreational drug for years and years. It’s a substance that grows “naturally.” And it is perceived by many as a harmless substance-- Or, at least, far less harmful than the other “hard”...more

To Market to Market: Busted

In April 2012, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) arrested eight people on federal charges of drug trafficking and money laundering. The arrests ended a two-year investigation into a clandestine drug ring with a...more

Short Wins - Public Defender Withdrawals Of Two Kinds

Last week was an active week in the federal appeals courts. Perhaps most interesting - especially to those who are concerned about the state of our federal public defenders - is the Second Circuit's opinion in United...more

Tough On Crime Or Just Tough On People?

Admittedly, she had made mistakes in her life. Fifteen years ago, Stephanie George was pulling her life back together after a prison sentence for drug dealing. Suddenly, in the midst of healing herself and her family, she...more

Lawyer Couple Accused Of Planting Drugs On School Worker

A California couple has been accused of planting drugs on a volunteer at their son's elementary school. Kent Easter, 38, and Jill Easter, 39, are both lawyers, and have been indicted on charges of conspiracy to procure false...more

Bath Salts Linked to Horrific Occurrences

Gruesome incidents have accompanied a new designer drug, commonly called bath salts. This street-cooked combination of chemicals has strong amphetamine-like and hallucinatory effects. Far from being a home-care product, this...more

Not The Spice Of Life

As new drugs move into mainstream use in Ohio, new laws are written to control or prevent sale and abuse of those drugs. One recent class of drugs prohibited in Ohio is synthetic cannabinoids, known among other names, as...more

Paying A High Price For Getting High: Criminal Defense Attorney Tip Of The Week

What Does Not Work: Claiming that the excruciating pain from your inoperable cancer can only be helped by smoking a little marijuana — “This is medical marijuana, man — and if I lose my drivers license, how will I will I get...more

With Probable Cause and Drug-Sniffing Dogs, Supreme Court Would Rather Keep Things Fluid [Video]

The Supreme Court has been thoroughly divided on many major issues, but probable cause isn't one of them. When looked at within the context of the use of a drug-sniffing dog in a criminal case—is strict documentation of...more

Short Wins - Three Odd Cases

Three odd cases were decided last week in the federal circuits....more

Drug Manufacturing Through the Eyes of Breaking Bad

If you watch the mega hit Breaking Bad, you know that the main characters Walter White (a former high school teacher) and his former student/sidekick punk Jesse Pinkman manufacture methamphetamine in part to pay for Walt’s...more

Short Wins - President's Day Edition

It's a scattershot collection of sentencing remands in this week's short wins....more

Newsbreak: Your Rights [Video]

Lawyers.com Editorial Director, Betsy Kim, gives today's Newsbreak, a round-up of legal cases and issues. This video covers warrantless taking of blood of a DUI suspect, dogs sniffing front doors for marijuana and the...more

No Standing for Illegal Drugs: Third Circuit Limits Antitrust Standing for Foreign Drug Manufacturers Absent FDA Approval

A Third Circuit panel recently ruled that a foreign drug manufacturer lacks antitrust standing when it could only sell its product in the United States through a distributor....more

Facing Drug Possession Charges? Learn What You’re Up Against

If you’ve been charged with drug possession in Tennessee, it can be a very serious matter, and the charges can include charges for possession of items you never thought about, such as drug paraphernalia....more

Can You Be Fired for Using Medical Marijuana?

In two recent cases, the EEOC settled with employers who had fired workers because of positive drug tests for prescription drugs. But in states where medical marijuana is legal, can employers fire employees who test positive...more

Using Dogs To Search for Teens’ Drugs Could Backfire

When little Johnny takes a sudden and unexplained interest in incense, tie-dye and the Grateful Dead, his parents German Shepherd dog might feel justified in wondering if their son has started experimenting with illegal...more

Operation Pangea V: A Global Attack on Online Prescription Drug Pharmacies

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), in partnership with multiple international regulatory and law enforcement agencies, targeted over 4,100 internet pharmacies that allegedly sell potentially dangerous, unapproved...more

R v Hall; R v Vaughan-Evans; R v Kelly

Duty to Accommodate in Policing: A Comparative Look at the Decisions of Hall, Kelly, and Vaughan-Evans

Duty to Accommodate in Policing in Relation to Drug Use/Addition of Police Officers. A Comparative Look at the Decisions of Hall, Kelly, and Vaughan-Evans....more