Displaying items by tag: Drug Offenses

The beauty of our system of government is also what makes it messy. Federalism allows different states to have different laws pertaining to the same issues based on the interests and desires of their residents and voters. Marijuana is no exception.

Despite the continuous conversation around legalization, marijuana remains illegal under both U.S. law and Wisconsin law. The thresholds and penalties outlined in federal and state law, however, are different.

The news this summer has been filled with alarming reports about people contracting lung disease after using vaping devices to smoke tobacco or marijuana products. At least seven people around the country are reported to have died, and public health officials still are not sure what is causing the problem. No deaths have yet been reported in Wisconsin.

You can visit Wisconsin’s neighboring states and find legalized or recreational marijuana. Unlike 33 other states, however, Wisconsin has yet to legalize either. Maybe someday Wisconsin will join other states in legalizing marijuana for medicinal or recreational purposes.

Wisconsin and other states have civil forfeiture laws that allow law enforcement to seize cash, vehicles and other private property that may have been used in crimes, particularly drug offenses. The U.S. Supreme Court, however, unanimously ruled that the Constitution restricts the ability of states and towns to take property involved in crimes. This decision can help a drug charges defense law firm fight this practice.