Combating Accusations of Marijuana Cultivation
It is illegal to possess and grow cannabis plants in the state of Florida. Even if you don’t intend to sell any products and are only growing plants for personal use, growing marijuana for any reason is a crime.
Recently, the legal definition of “home grown” has changed to include a smaller number of plants, and the costs of owning or growing a cannabis plant have become heavier. If you have been arrested on drug-related charges involving the cultivation of marijuana, you should consult a criminal defense attorney with expertise in drug crime defense.
Changes to the “Grow House” Classification
In 2008, Florida’s laws on cannabis cultivation changed significantly. Prior to this new law, a person had to own at least 300 cannabis plants to be considered a home grown. They must therefore be involved in large-scale cannabis production to receive serious criminal penalties for cannabis cultivation. However, under the new law, anyone who grows 25 or more cannabis plants can be arrested for cultivation.
Being assigned to operate a grow house for the cultivation of cannabis was a more serious expense than growing multiple crops, but now applies even to small-scale farmers who may be growing the crop for personal use only. A conviction for operating costs of growing homes includes heavy fines and up to 30 years in prison.
The Importance of Good Legal Defense
The fourth amendment to the US Constitution protects all citizens from undue search and seizure. If the police do not legally have the right to enter your home or initially have no possible reason to arrest you, then the evidence against you may be disposed of due to an unauthorized search procedure.
An experienced criminal defense attorney will examine any evidence against you to see if it was obtained illegally. If you are involved in a sting operation, you may fall victim to a trap, another illegal procedure. A good attorney will aggressively cross-examine every witness and police involved to find these and other weaknesses in the case brought against you.
For more information
If you are arrested for growing marijuana, you should contact a trained criminal defense attorney to look for rights violations in your case. Until you have examined all of your defense options, you cannot plead guilty to a marijuana cultivation charge. For more information on preparing a sound legal defense, please visit the website of West Palm Beach drug defense attorney Eric N. Klein & Associates, PA here .