Let’s talk about methamphetamine, known simply as meth.

Meth is a highly addictive stimulant drug, and an incredibly dangerous substance to put into your body. It’s the same drug made by Walter White, the character from the popular TV show Breaking Bad.

Despite all the inherent risks associated with its manufacture, meth is a drug many users attempt to “cook” on their own. The risks are not isolated to the cooks themselves— meth labs pollute their environment and contaminate homes, posing health risks to all of its occupants even years after cleanup.

Worse still, the dangerous chemicals used to create meth are extremely volatile, and can explode with a single misstep by the cook. And of all the noxious chemicals used to create the drug (anhydrous ammonia, Coleman fuel, and lithium to name a few), only one ingredient actually belongs in the human body— pseudoephedrine.

Pseudoephedrine is a decongestant found in many cold medications. Its use in the production of meth is the reason why people now have to sign a log when purchasing products containing pseudoephedrine.

Because of these restrictions, people are limited to how much they can buy at one time. And while restricting the purchase of pseudoephedrine has cut down on the amount of homemade meth in the US, it has inadvertently opened a wider market for meth imported from Mexico.

 

Tough criminal sanctions are not worth the risk.

The dangerous nature of meth is well known to law enforcement and US policy makers, and the criminal sanctions for producing, distributing and using the drug are severe.

Possession

The penalties for possessing meth are strict, and get worse as the quantity increases:

The first time you are caught possessing meth is a serious misdemeanor. It carries a mandatory minimum jail sentence of two days in jail, and a potential one-year sentence. The fines range from a minimum of $315 to $1,875.

The second time you are caught possessing meth is an aggravated misdemeanor. The mandatory minimum jail sentence is two days, however you could be sentenced to two years in prison. There is a minimum fine of $625, and a maximum fine of $6,250.

The third (and subsequent) possession is a class D felony, and you can be sentenced to five years in prison. The fines start at a minimum of $750 and go all the way up to $7,500. A class D felony conviction also carries its own burdensome consequences— you will lose your right to vote, to hold office, to serve on a jury, and to own or possess firearms.

Manufacturing and Selling Methamphetamine

In the State of Iowa, manufacturing meth or possessing it with the intent to deliver (sell) carries harsher penalties still:

It is a class C felony to manufacture or intend to deliver less than five grams of meth, which carries a potential prison sentence of 10 years. There is a minimum fine of $1,000 with a maximum fine of $10,000.

If you manufacture or intend to deliver five grams or more of meth, that is a class B felony and you will go to prison for 25 years without the option of probation. This is a much harsher sentence than comparable class B felony manufacture or distribution of other drugs, including heroin. The state legislature obviously felt that meth was so dangerous that people producing or selling it require prison.

Punishment in federal court is equally strict:

• If you manufacture or intend to deliver less than 50 grams of methamphetamine you could go to prison for up to 20 years.
• If you manufacture or intend to deliver between 50 and 500 grams of methamphetamine there is a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years in prison and you could go to prison for the rest of your life .
• If you manufacture or possess with the intent to deliver between more than 500 grams of methamphetamine there is a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, and you could go to prison for the rest of your life.

The consequences of using, producing and distributing meth are not worth the risks to your health or the loss of your freedom. If you are being charged with a meth-related crime, it is crucial that your lawyer has the necessary knowledge and experience to help you weigh your options.

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