{"id":48905,"date":"2022-08-22T12:29:42","date_gmt":"2022-08-22T16:29:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ciccarellilawoffices.kinsta.cloud\/arizona\/?p=48905"},"modified":"2022-08-22T12:29:58","modified_gmt":"2022-08-22T16:29:58","slug":"what-does-first-time-drug-possession-mean-in-arizona","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ciccarelli.com\/arizona\/what-does-first-time-drug-possession-mean-in-arizona\/","title":{"rendered":"What Does First-Time Drug Possession Mean In Arizona"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The penalties are extremely serious for getting arrested for drug possession in Arizona. This is even for first-time possession offenders.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With an experienced <a href=\"\/arizona\/chandler-criminal-defense-lawyer\/\">Chandler criminal defense attorney<\/a> by your side, however, there may be tactics that could help you avoid jail, fines, and a conviction, such as the TASC program, Treatment Alternatives to Street Crime, a deferred prosecution option.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your attorney can also help you understand all that is involved in the complications of first-time drug possession.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>What is Considered Drug Possession?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are several main components when considering how simple drug possession, or possession of controlled substances, is defined, such as:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Physical possession, as in carrying the drugs or using the drugs<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Construction possession, as in storing the drugs somewhere the person has control over<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Joint possession, as in sharing the drugs with a partner, significant other, or roommate<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As this illustrates, a drug possession conviction does not necessarily mean that someone was physically touching, carrying, or using the drugs.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Do You Always Get Jail Time for First-Time Drug Possession?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you have been charged with first-time drug possession in Arizona, the law normally permits you to have probation punishment instead of jail. Probation terms include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Completing a court-ordered drug treatment program, which you must pay for<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">More intense drug treatment, community recompense, or home arrest if you violate the terms<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">First-time drug possession offenders may be jailed if:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The quantity of marijuana found in possession is two or more pounds<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The drug was methamphetamine<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An act of violence was also involved with the drug possession, resulting in physical injury or death<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>The Penalties of First-Time Drug Possession in Arizona<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Arizona law considers a first-time personal possession of dangerous drugs a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.azleg.gov\/ars\/13\/00702.htm\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">class 4 felony<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which carries a jail sentence between one year and a maximum three years and nine months. There are instances that a first-time drug possession charge can be reduced to a class 1 misdemeanor. Felonies in Arizona are further divided into six classes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Common dangerous drugs include:<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Anabolic steroids<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mescaline<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">MDMA<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">MDA<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Diazepam or valium<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Alprazolam or Xanax<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Note:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> If marijuana is found in possession of a first-time offender, the penalty depends on the pounds of the drug. Possession of no more than 1 ounce of marijuana by anyone 21 years or older is legal in Arizona.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>What is the TASC Diversion Program?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is a deferred prosecution option available in Arizona since the 1980s that first-time drug offenders may be eligible for over jail time, fines, and a felony conviction on their record. Those enrolled need to complete the drug education and treatment program and pass all drug tests.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If they do, they have a chance at a brighter future. It also saves taxpayers the money it takes to incarcerate the defendants.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Our Arizona Criminal Defense Attorneys Can Help<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you have been charged with drug possession in Arizona and it is your first offense, we are here for you. Let our team of criminal defense attorneys at <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ciccarelli.com\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ciccarelli Law Offices<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> sort through your eligibility for the TASC diversion program or other defense strategies that will help lessen your penalties and lead you toward the best possible outcome for your case.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The penalties are extremely serious for getting arrested for drug possession in Arizona. This is even for first-time possession offenders. With an experienced Chandler criminal defense attorney by your side, however, there may be tactics that could help you avoid jail, fines, and a conviction, such as the TASC program, Treatment Alternatives to Street Crime, a deferred prosecution option.\u00a0 Your\u2026 <a href=\"https:\/\/ciccarelli.com\/arizona\/what-does-first-time-drug-possession-mean-in-arizona\/\">READ MORE<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_content_optimizer_report_url":"","_content_optimizer_report_added":"","_content_optimizer_keyword_hide_used":false,"_content_optimizer_keyword_hide_above_average":false,"_content_optimizer_entities_hide_used":false,"_content_optimizer_entities_hide_above_average":false,"_content_optimizer_headings_hide_used":false,"_content_optimizer_questions_hide_used":false,"_content_optimizer_tab_active":"","_content_optimizer_report_url_ce":"","_content_optimizer_report_added_ce":"","_content_optimizer_keyword_hide_used_ce":false,"_content_optimizer_keyword_hide_above_average_ce":false,"_content_optimizer_entities_hide_used_ce":false,"_content_optimizer_entities_hide_above_average_ce":false,"_content_optimizer_headings_hide_used_ce":false,"_content_optimizer_questions_hide_used_ce":false,"_content_optimizer_tab_active_ce":""},"categories":[3560],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-48905","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-criminal-defense"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>What Does First-Time Drug Possession Mean In Arizona<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"There are instances that a first-time drug possession charge can be reduced to a class 1 misdemeanor. 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