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In 1996, the General Assembly instituted a “drug offender surcharge,” ranging from $300 to $4,500. Other surcharges now exist in Colorado for crimes outside of drug charges, though the ones levied for drug offenders have been explicitly determined to be punishment.

Headlines about cryptocurrency being involved in the drug trade used to be fairly common, but now the practice seems to have decreased substantially. As Bitcoin becomes more mainstream in Colorado, the United States and throughout the world, a decreasing percentage of its overall use involves illicit activities.

Since Colorado was one of the first states in the union to allow people to legally grow, possess and use marijuana, there can be mistakes with the minuscule details of the law. This might lead to arrests.

Drug charges can come about in a variety of ways in Colorado. One common circumstance is when the drugs are found during a traffic stop.

Being accused of a drug crime is a serious matter, as these criminal allegations can carry harsh penalties. Additionally, just being accused of these crimes can impact one’s personal and professional reputation. Thus, it is vital to explore defense options, regardless of one’s criminal history. This could help reduce the drug charges or even help clear a person’s name.

Criminal charges can be rather costly. This not only refers to the costs associated with asserting a defense against the charges, but also encompasses the damages the allegations can have on a person’s life. Drug crimes can have a lasting effect on the accused’s life, which makes it imperative that individuals in Colorado understand their defense options.

Most people in Colorado would agree that certain drugs, like fentanyl, heroin and cocaine are dangerous. For this reason, these drugs are classified as Schedule I or Schedule II drugs, meaning that drug charges involving these substances are more serious than charges for other drugs.

With the legalization of marijuana in Colorado, many residents may want to grow marijuana in their home. However, there are limits on their ability to do so.

There have been movements across the nation to decriminalize certain drug offenses, or even make possession of certain drugs lawful under certain circumstances. Colorado is one of the leaders in this initiative after it legalized the possession of small amounts of marijuana in 2014. However, some lawmakers want to take such initiatives a step further.

Drug offenses are some of the most frequently charged crimes in Colorado. Whether they are possession charges, trafficking charges or manufacturing charges, it goes without saying that a conviction for drug charges could lead to years behind bars.