Allegations of possessing marijuana can leave a person facing many consequences. Just how severe these consequences can get depends on many things. Here in Georgia, one of the key factors is whether or not the person is accused of having possessed more than an ounce of marijuana.
One ounce is a critical number in the state’s laws on marijuana. It is the threshold between misdemeanor possession and felony possession.
Under Georgia law, possessing one ounce or less of marijuana is a misdemeanor offense. It is punishable by a fine of up to $1,000 and/or imprisonment for up to a year.
These are already serious penalties. However, a person can face even harsher ones if convicted of possessing more than one ounce of marijuana. This is because this jumps to being a felony offense. The standard prison sentence range for felony marijuana possession is one to 10 years.
Another critical threshold is 10 pounds. Allegations of possessing more than 10 pounds of marijuana can lead to drug trafficking charges. This is an even more serious class of felony charge with particularly severe potential penalties (including six-figure or seven-figure fines).
When facing marijuana possession allegations in Georgia, it is critical to have an accurate picture of just how severe the accusations that have been leveled are. Underestimating the seriousness of an allegation could lead to a person making critical missteps during the course of the case. Such missteps could have major ramifications for a person’s future. Skilled drug possession defense attorneys can help individuals accused of marijuana possession in the state understand what exactly their situation is, given factors such as where the allegations land when it comes to the critical thresholds in state law, such as the 1-ounce threshold.