The legal status of marijuana has gone through a dramatic change over the past decade. For many years the federal government has been embroiled in a nationwide and international war against drugs which has yielded mixed results.
With the overpopulation of federal and state prisons with nonviolent offenders, many people have been advocating for minor drug offenders to be released. The biggest shift in attitude is towards marijuana and whether it should be decriminalized.
Due to the illegality of marijuana some are using a synthetic drug instead, which can be considered by some as more dangerous than the natural version of the drug. It is being reported that four Florida teens overdosed on ambrosia, a synthetic form of marijuana. One of the teens was found unconscious by Florida Fire Rescue while the others were running around uncontrollably, jumping into trees and hallucinating from the drug.
These four teens were all between the ages of 14 and 16, so the law may take into account their status as minors; but ingesting this dangerous drug and behaving in such an unsafe manner has put their health at risk and potentially could have harmed others as well.
With drug manufacturers experimenting with new synthetic forms of marijuana the instability of these substances can have devastating effects on the users. Florida authorities in their efforts to curb the use of these drugs will make every effort to prosecute possessors of ambrosia and other similar forms of synthetic marijuana.
When the police and state attorney’s office are committed to fighting drug abuse, the pressure they can place on a person who is charged with a drug offense can seem overwhelming.
Many Floridians have made mistakes with drugs and the temptation for young people to experiment is not uncommon. Retaining a knowledgeable criminal defense attorney who is practiced in defending drug cases can help prevent a single mistake from haunting you for years to come.
Source: NBC Miami, “Teens Overdose in Miami Park: Fire Officials,” Oct. 30, 2014