Under Mississippi state law, a controlled substance is a drug or chemical component used to make a drug that may prove dangerous. The more dangerous the drug, the harsher the charge.
The drug classification system or schedule puts notable drugs and the chemicals used to make them into groups. These categories indicate a progressive level of how addictive the substances are. When the police find someone with a drug they do not possess a prescription for, the schedule the substance falls under may determine the charge.
The drug schedules
The court uses the controlled substance schedules when considering how to charge someone. Schedule V contains the drugs and chemicals with the lowest probability of abuse and addiction, such as those used for analgesic purposes. The drugs in Schedules IV and III become progressively more dangerous. Schedules II and I include substances with the highest likelihood of addiction. These drugs have almost no medical benefit, so there is no legal reason to have them. Drugs found in Schedule I include things such as:
• LSD
• Heroin
• Ecstasy
• Peyote
The possible charges
A person with a drug from any schedule may face charges. However, the charge and possible penalty become worse depending on the amount of the drug and the category under which it falls. The drugs found in Schedules I and II usually carry felony charges, especially in larger quantities. If a person possesses a large quantity of drugs or chemicals from either of these two lists, he or she may face trafficking or distribution charges.
Mississippi has very clear drug laws on the books. Understanding the levels of danger associated with each category may help someone when it comes to dealing with charges.
