{"id":398,"date":"2021-08-18T08:00:18","date_gmt":"2021-08-18T15:00:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.elawrencelaw.com\/blog\/?p=398"},"modified":"2026-05-18T09:42:53","modified_gmt":"2026-05-18T16:42:53","slug":"understanding-your-drug-possession-offense","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/elawrencelaw.com\/blog\/understanding-your-drug-possession-offense\/","title":{"rendered":"Understanding Your Drug Possession Offense"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" src=\"https:\/\/www.elawrencelaw.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Drug-Possession-Offense.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-399\" style=\"width:250px;height:167px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/elawrencelaw.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Drug-Possession-Offense.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/elawrencelaw.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Drug-Possession-Offense-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/elawrencelaw.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Drug-Possession-Offense-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Drug charges vary greatly in the state of Maryland based on\nseveral relevant factors. Generally, penalties can include jail time,\nprobation, and indirect consequences like difficulty securing future employment.\nIn this blog, we\u2019ll look at the main factors that determine the severity of the\npunishment resulting from drug possession charges. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Drug in Question<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The consequences of your case will be affected by the kind\nof drug you had in your possession. Maryland residents facing marijuana\npossession offenses can be sentenced to a year of jail time and pay a fine no\nlarger than $1,000, assuming they possessed over 10 grams. Since Marijuana was\ndecriminalized in the state of Maryland in 2014, citizens possessing under 10 grams\nwill simply be given a civil offense penalty and be subject to a maximum fine\nof $100.&nbsp; Consequences begin to ramp up\nsignificantly from there for the possession of:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Cocaine<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Heroin<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>LSD<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ecstasy<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Meth<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">First Time Offenders Vs Repeat Offenders<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In many cases, first time drug possession cases may be quite\nminimal and involve mandatory drug education programs without jail time. Small\ncharges can often be expunged from legal records altogether within a year of\nthe offense as well.&nbsp; Charges may ramp up\nfor second time offenders, however, and include jail time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Intent to Distribute<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Drug offenses and their consequences are significantly more\nserious if distribution or the intention of distribution are involved in the\ncase. If a large enough quantity is discovered, a responding officer may make\nthe decision that the quantity exceeds what could possibly be considered an\nexpected amount for mere personal use. At that point, the penalty could rise\nfrom a misdemeanor charge to a felony.&nbsp; <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Protect Yourself from Drug Possession Offenses with Elizabeth Anu Lawrence\nLaw<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Drug convictions of any kind can damage your future reputation, financial security, employment or housing opportunities, and rights as a citizen; having strong legal defense can help you in dismissing your charges, exploring your best options, or representing you in court.\u00a0 The Law Office of Elizabeth A. Lawrence offers high-quality legal representation, personal attention, and professionalism to help defend those who need it most.\u00a0 <a href=\"https:\/\/elawrencelaw.com\/contact-us\/\">Click here<\/a> or call (410) 986-0088 to consult with an experienced attorney today.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Drug offenses and their associated consequences can vary greatly. Explore the factors that determine the severity of punishment from drug possession charges.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-398","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-criminal-defense"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Understanding Your Drug Possession Offense<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Drug offenses and their associated consequences can vary greatly. 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Explore the factors that determine the severity of punishment from drug possession charges.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/elawrencelaw.com\/blog\/understanding-your-drug-possession-offense\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2021-08-18T15:00:18+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-05-18T16:42:53+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.elawrencelaw.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Drug-Possession-Offense.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"hploski\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"hploski\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"2 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/elawrencelaw.com\\\/blog\\\/understanding-your-drug-possession-offense\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/elawrencelaw.com\\\/blog\\\/understanding-your-drug-possession-offense\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"hploski\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/elawrencelaw.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/bdbe6dff5f0615d3c6dfacad4b17af03\"},\"headline\":\"Understanding Your Drug Possession Offense\",\"datePublished\":\"2021-08-18T15:00:18+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-05-18T16:42:53+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/elawrencelaw.com\\\/blog\\\/understanding-your-drug-possession-offense\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":367,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/elawrencelaw.com\\\/blog\\\/understanding-your-drug-possession-offense\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.elawrencelaw.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2021\\\/08\\\/Drug-Possession-Offense.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Criminal Defense\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/elawrencelaw.com\\\/blog\\\/understanding-your-drug-possession-offense\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/elawrencelaw.com\\\/blog\\\/understanding-your-drug-possession-offense\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/elawrencelaw.com\\\/blog\\\/understanding-your-drug-possession-offense\\\/\",\"name\":\"Understanding Your Drug Possession Offense\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/elawrencelaw.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/elawrencelaw.com\\\/blog\\\/understanding-your-drug-possession-offense\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/elawrencelaw.com\\\/blog\\\/understanding-your-drug-possession-offense\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.elawrencelaw.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2021\\\/08\\\/Drug-Possession-Offense.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2021-08-18T15:00:18+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-05-18T16:42:53+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/elawrencelaw.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/bdbe6dff5f0615d3c6dfacad4b17af03\"},\"description\":\"Drug offenses and their associated consequences can vary greatly. 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