Since the approval of Proposition 207, Arizona joins the ranks of states legalizing the recreational use of marijuana. With it comes a lot of changes the average citizen should know. Possession laws change with this legalization but they do not all vanish. As the...
What are legal uses for syringes?
Your visit to an Arizona doctor confirms that you need to use a syringe to treat a condition you have. Even though you have a legitimate use for a syringe, you might fear that a law enforcement officer might see it with you and suspect you of possessing drug...
Your criminal record and your new job search
Many people in Arizona live life with a criminal mark on their record. These realities may stem from minor indiscretions to more substantial events, yet they should not preclude a person's ability to move forward positively and create a good life. When it comes time...
Treating addiction through drug courts
In the last several years, awareness of the problems related to drug addiction and abuse have contributed to a shift in how some people arrested for drug-related offenses may be treated. The development of special drugs courts represents one outcome of this shift. As...
Opioid busts at the border are increasing
The ongoing opioid crisis has taken a devastating toll on communities throughout Arizona. In addition to drug-related medical issues and overdoses, arrests and criminal charges for drug charges have upended the lives of numerous Arizonans. Despite legislative and...
Drug charges can have student aid consequences
A student's experiences in high school and college are times of discovery. Students often test the limits of the rules of their school and society at large. A drug possession charge (anything from marijuana to cocaine, opioids, and other prescription drugs) can have...
What is the Controlled Substances Act?
Prior to 1970, federal law mandated regulation of certain substances. The Controlled Substances Act gained congressional approval that year and organized the substances under federal regulation at that time into five schedules based on their potential for abuse and...
Will the federal government legalize cannabis?
The question for a long time has been whether the federal government will follow the states' lead and legalize cannabis. Most states have some type of legalization or decriminalization. A federal law change would legalize the drug everywhere and at every level despite...
Understanding drug addiction as a disease
In many situations, a first-time drug offense can result in rehabilitation instead of jail. The reason for this accommodation is the harsh and possibly life-threatening effects that quitting drugs can have on a person. The physical and physiological effects of...
Four Arizonans arrested on drug charges after vehicle searches
An Arizona woman is one of four state residents who were recently taken into custody by law enforcement officials after searches of their vehicles. All four face serious drug-trafficking charges that could result in harsh sentences that could mean that they will spend...
