Author Archives: Jay Butchko
Do Syringe Exchange Centers Provide Legal Immunity In Drug Cases?
Everyone knows that injecting yourself with intravenous drugs is risky even under the safest circumstances, that even a tiny amount of fentanyl can kill, and that it is very difficult to know whether the substance that is about to enter your bloodstream contains fentanyl. Syringe exchange programs, which are sometimes also called needle exchanges… Read More »
The Three Elements Of A Drug Possession Charge: Legality, Knowledge, And Control
You may have read in the news about defendants who were facing criminal charges for offenses like drug possession with intent to distribute, or even trafficking in controlled substances, but who were able to arrange a plea deal by pleading guilty to simple possession. This may leave you with the impression that getting convicted… Read More »
Not Every Car With A Plush Minion On The Dashboard Has Ketamine In The Glove Compartment
In certain medical contexts, ketamine is the least dangerous drug. It induces a dissociative, dreamlike mental state and relieves pain and anxiety, but it does not suppress breathing or reduce blood pressure. If you have ever woken up during surgery (a lot of people have), you probably don’t remember it, because of ketamine. In… Read More »
Anabolic Steroid Laws In Florida
Visitors to Florida are often impressed, or even intimidated, by how physically fit everyone looks. Part of the reason for this is that Florida’s warm climate effectively renders the entire state a 24-hour outdoor gym. Besides that, there is Florida’s booming cosmetic surgery industry; for the right price, anyone can get a lean, youthful… Read More »
Drug Crimes In Drug-Free Zones
In criminal cases involving drug offenses, many details affect the outcome of the case. Was the drug in question a Schedule I controlled substance, a Schedule V controlled substance, or somewhere in the middle? How large a quantity of the drug was present? Does the defendant have any other convictions on his or her… Read More »
Beware Of Xylazine: The Medical Consequences Are Worse Than The Legal Ones
By now you have heard the warnings about how, when you buy a bag of powder from a drug dealer, you don’t really know what it contains. The “Just Say No” drug education classes of the 1980s used to warn young people that the powder they thought was cocaine might contain horrible things like… Read More »
How Illegal Are Designer Drugs?
“Designer drugs” is a misleading name; it sounds like they are new, fashionable drugs, available only to celebrities and to people with great connections. The term calls to mind designer clothing, handbags, and sunglasses, but designer drugs are something less glamorous. The definition of a designer drug includes any psychoactive chemical that has a… Read More »
Florida Study Reveals That Reddit Gossip Predicts Drug Overdose Clusters
Lies spread quickly on the Internet, but so does the truth. In the 80s, you could get worked up into a panic about drugs if you saw an episode of 60 Minutes or heard a scary lecture in school or youth group, but you always went away with more questions than answers. In the… Read More »
Do You Have To Pay Restitution If You Are Convicted Of A Drug Offense?
Most people who plead guilty to crimes are motivated, at least in part, by the fact that defendants who plead guilty usually receive lighter sentences than defendants who are found guilty at trial. When you are facing criminal charges for drug possession or another drug offense, your biggest concern is probably whether or not… Read More »
Does A Positive Field Drug Test Mean That You Are Guilty?
A lot of the things that police officers say and do during traffic stops are for no reason other than to intimidate or confuse the defendant. Consider the field sobriety tests that officers often ask drivers to perform at traffic stops for suspected drunk driving, such as walking an imaginary tightrope or reciting the… Read More »
