Marijuana & Teens

Treatment Options after an Arrest

K2, Spice, Synthetic Marijuana

Many teenagers who experiment with marijuana do so for a short time period and do not become frequent users. Experimentation with marijuana is neither good nor bad. In other words, it is an activity that many teens will try along with other activities their parents would prefer they not do.

What parents need to know today is that the marijuana in America today is that the active ingredient (THC) is substantially more concentrated than the "weed" of the '60's and '70's. Lab testing shows between 5 - 10 times more potent.

Generally, marijuana acts as a relaxant and more focused for a period of 4-6 hours. The onset of impairment is within 20 minutes of the first "hit".

There a 5 stages to drug use: experimentation, social / recreational, habit, abuse, and addiction. I have found that most parents will first detect evidence of marijuana use either at the social / recreational stage or habit stage. Experimentation of marijuana tends to be of such a low level use that a teen will be smart enough to avoid detection. Once a teen gets careless about his or her use and gets caught, they probably have progressed beyond experimentation.

In Ohio, marijuana possession and possession of paraphernalia are misdemeanors in the overwhelming majority of cases. A typical sentence is a 6 months - 5 year license suspension, $100-$250 fine, probation, random urine screens with a probation officer, and a "Drug Abuse" conviction on the client's permanent record. Also, grants, scholarships, and certain student loans are at risk of being lost.

The majority of our marijuana cases we can get some sort of plea bargain worked out with a prosecutor to protect our client's future record and avoid the license suspension.

CASE EXAMPLE: A college student was stopped for speeding in Warren County, Ohio. The officer smelled marijuana, and proceeded to search the vehicle. The officer found multiple baggies of marijuana, 50 Adderall pills, and a digital scale used to weigh marijuana. The client owned the vehicle, and admitted using and selling marijuana. The client was referred to The Koffel Law Firm and the case was assigned to Attorney Tod Brininger. The client was charged with 3 felony counts including drug trafficking. Prior to the preliminary hearing, Mr. Brininger negotiated a very favorable result on behalf of the client. The client entered a guilty plea to 3 misdemeanor counts. The client was placed on 2 years of probation, fines, and a one year license suspension. The defendant was not ordered to serve any jail time.

To inquire about representation for you or someone else, call 614-675-4845.