Distribution of Marijuana in Pennsylvania

Despite the fact that Pennsylvania’s recent Medical Marijuana Act allows for the creation of some highly regulated dispensaries for the state’s medical marijuana patients, if you bring marijuana to a party for everyone to use and you are arrested, you may feel the full impact of Pennsylvania’s strict marijuana laws. You will need an experienced Pennslyvania marijuana attorney who is very knowledgeable about these charges.

As an experienced Philadelphia criminal defense lawyer and member of the Medical Marijuana Committee of the Philadelphia Bar Association, Michael Fienman is at the forefront of cannabis law in Pennsylvania. If you have questions about medical marijuana in Pennsylvania, have been charged with distrubuting marijuana, or need legal counsel related to the cannabis industry, contact attorney Fienman at (215) 839-9529 or complete our online form.

What You Need To Know About Distribution of Marijuana

• Giving away 30 grams or less of marijuana is a misdemeanor, and you can be punished with up to 30 days in jail and a $500 fine.
• Distributing less than 1,000 pounds of marijuana is a felony, and you will face one to three years in prison and a fine ranging from $5,000 to $25,000.
• If you distribute more than 1,000 pounds of marijuana you can face up to 10 years in prison and a $100,000 fine.
• If you are over 21 and you distribute marijuana to a minor, you face a minimum sentence of one year in prison.

What To Do If You Have Been Charged with Distribution of Marijuana in Pennsylvania

If you are caught with marijuana in your possession, it is important that you do not make any statements to the arresting officer about the drugs.

As with most criminal charges, you should not talk to the police or prosecutors without your attorney by your side. What you say can be taken out of context and used against you. If the police question you, tell them you want a lawyer and politely refuse to answer their questions.

What A Lawyer Can Do

Your attorney will start with a careful examination of the alleged facts to first determine if there was probable cause to charge you lawfully.

• If you were stopped in your car, your defense attorney will find out if there was probable cause to pull you over and to search you and the vehicle. Your lawyer will look for ways to have any evidence suppressed.
• Police will often discover someone is smoking marijuana because they smell its distinctive odor. This smell is considered by the Pennsylvania courts to be probable cause to search the smoker and their car.
• If the marijuana belonged to someone else, your attorney will try to find proof that it was not yours.

How an Experienced Pennslyvania Marijuana Attorney Will Help

When you are up against a distribution of marijuana charge, you will be facing inflexible laws and a determined prosecutor. You will need a defense attorney with a strong understanding of drug laws who can help you achieve the best possible outcome for your situation.

Pennsylvania Distribution of Marijuana Law

Marijuana charges are described and defined under The Pennsylvania Code under Title 35 Chapter 6. Read the code here.