Distribution of Club Drugs
Authorities often take a less forgiving view of certain crimes involving “club drugs” including the distribution of Ecstacy, PCP, GHB, etc., than they do of the simple use or possession of these drugs.
If you’ve been arrested in the act of selling or distributing club drugs, the severity of the charges will depend on the total weight of drugs in your possession (more than five ounces means more severe charges and stiffer punishments.
Whether you were caught selling the drugs near a school, housing project or public park, and whether you sold the drugs to minors, either knowingly or unknowingly. Depending on the circumstances, the drug distribution defense attorneys at The Law Offices of Jonathan F. Marshall may be able to have the charges dismissed, or, failing that, plead you down to a lesser charge of drug possession.
Penalties for Distribution of Club Drugs in New Jersey
Although actual enforcement varies on a case-by-case basis, the penalties in New Jersey for the use, possession and distribution of club drugs are very strict. The key factor is the total weight of the drugs involved: less than half an ounce, between half an ounce and five ounces, and over five ounces. The lowest weight is a third-degree crime, punishable by a maximum of three to five years in prison, while the highest quantity is a first-degree crime, mainly because of the presumption of the intention to distribute the drug. Being apprehended with over five ounces of Ecstasy, PCP or ketamine can land a person in jail for up to 20 years and entail hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines.
These penalties are strict enough in themselves, but there are also two major complications. First, the degree of the offense is calculated by the total weight of the drugs involved, and not the total weight of their active ingredients—so possession of pills containing only minimal amounts of MDMA or PCP can still have severe consequences. And second, in New Jersey, added penalties can be assessed if you’re caught using, possessing or distributing club drugs near schools, housing projects or public parks. If a district attorney is so inclined, even a relatively harmless drug offense (like popping a single pill in a park) can land you in prison for a six-month stretch.
What Are Club Drugs?
Broadly speaking, the phrase “club drug” applies to any recreational drug that isn’t heroin, crack or cocaine, or marijuana. Most often used in nightclubs and during “raves” and outdoor concerts, the most popular club drugs include:
- Ecstasy (X, XTC, MDMA)
- LSD (acid)
- GHB
- PCP
- Mephadrone (“bath salts”)
- Methamphetamine
- Ketamine
- Alkyl nitrites
- Flunitrazepam (better known as Roofies, or the date-rape drug)
Charged With Drug Distribution Involving XTC, PCP, Ketamine or Another Club Drug? Our New Jersey Attorneys Can Help.
Contact the drug defense and trial attorneys of The Law Offices of Jonathan F. Marshall for a free consultation. We offer aggressive advocacy focused on obtaining positive results if you have been charged with a drug crime in New Jersey.