
POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA
In Arizona, the possession or use of marijuana is a criminal offense. However, because cannabis comes in many forms, it can sometimes be difficult to parse out what’s legal to have and what’s not. Generally, anything containing marijuana is illegal in the state of Arizona; this includes not just marijuana leaves themselves, but THC concentrates and other forms of marijuana as well. It is also worth noting that a marijuana charge can be treated as either a misdemeanor or a felony depending on how many charges you’ve had in the past and how much marijuana is found at the time of your arrest.
If you’ve been arrested and charged with possession or use of marijuana, whether it be a misdemeanor or felony amount, it’s important that you know your rights.
Potential Punishments
While marijuana is the most widely used drug in the United States(and some states have even legalized it), the fact remains that its use or possession is still illegal in Arizona.
Generally, the first one or two times you’re charged with marijuana use or possession, you will not serve any prison time. In fact, Arizona is unique in that its laws prevent first- and even second-time offenders from being punished with prison time until their third conviction. Still, you can face some pretty hefty penalties and fines with even a first-time conviction on a small amount of marijuana. More than likely, you’ll automatically be placed on probation (the length of time you’ll be on probation can vary greatly) and be required to complete some kind of drug treatment. You will also likely be fined several hundred dollars. From there, if you violate your probation, you could serve as much as six months in jail.
Third-time convictions in Arizona are treated as felonies, and the more marijuana you’re caught with, the higher class of felony you are likely to be charged with. These convictions can carry much more serious sentences, including fines totaling nearly $1,000 and several years in prison.