According to the St. Petersburg Times, the local Pinellas Sheriff is calling the current prescription drug abuse problem, the worst he has ever seen—and he’s seen a lot. He was with local law enforcement in the 1980s and the crack cocaine problems of the nineties. But what he sees now doesn’t compare, he says.
What makes the prescription drug problem different from other illegal drug problems is prescription drug abuse classes all socioeconomic boundaries. You can find addicts and pill pushers in the wealthiest and the poorest neighborhoods.
The Sheriff isn’t the only one who sees it as a serious problem. Purdue Pharma, a pharmaceutical giant, recognized the Tampa area as one of the 10 regions across the United States with a particularly bad problem. The company held a one day conference for others like law enforcement, within the community encountering and fighting the problem on a daily basis.
This company is said to manufacturer drugs like Dilaudid and OxyContin, two powerful and popular prescriptions frequently abused. Their goal is to share information with departments so the various organizations can fight the problem together.
The Pinellas County Sheriff’s office made 243 drug arrests in 2009, a huge leap from 83 in 2008. Of course that number doesn’t tell the whole story. Within that time, numerous detectives were added to the drug task force, no doubt contributing to the rise in arrests.
The Times article makes a good point that some users have genuine drug problems. These people would be far better off receiving treatment than they would jail time. Depending on where your case originates, you may qualify for such treatment instead of jail.
While different jurisdictions might have better treatment options than others, there are options out there for help if you have a drug problem and have run afoul from the law. If you are facing criminal drug charges, whether they are for a prescription drug or marijuana, I can help.
The penalty you face and the potential you will get off without serving any jail time depends on several factors including your criminal history and just how much of the substance you were caught with. There are many variables that come into play when you are facing drug charges.
Contact us today if you are facing criminal prescription drug possession charges or similar charges in Florida. We can offer you a free case evaluation and some potentially valuable legal advice.