Are you a student who was arrested with marijuana?

Now that the spring semester is in full force, I have been receiving a lot of calls and emails from parents and students about marijuana laws. Here in Pittsburgh, we are a major center for higher education with close to a dozen institutions for continuing education within a few-mile radius. Marijuana laws in Pennsylvania are pretty well-defined and there isn’t much wiggle room when arrested; however, with a quality Pittsburgh drug crimes attorney on your side, your chances of beating a charge or having your charges significantly reduced becomes much greater.

For your information, I have come up with some simple facts, anecdotes, and suggestions that may help you if you are ever pulled over for marijuana possession.

First, most people who are arrested around Pittsburgh for possession of marijuana are stopped while driving, and no one is excluded, as is evidence from two Pittsburgh Steelers who were stopped along McKnight Road before a preseason game in August of 2014. If you don’t want to get pulled over with drugs, even if you’re not the person with the drugs, then try to avoid riding in vehicles where you know someone will be possessing or smoking marijuana.

Second, you may have the overwhelming feeling to vehemently apologize to the arresting officer. This is not always the best idea. An apology shows guilt. Many people think that if they apologize the officer will let them go. This is almost never the case, as it’s more likely to end you up in the back of a police car, wearing handcuffs. If you’re arrested for marijuana, you should comply as best you can, but never give an admission of guilt and ask to speak to your attorney as soon as possible.

Third, and this is a big one, if you look like a "pot head," then prepare to be treated as such. Stereotypes are a terrible way to judge someone’s character, but police do it all the time. The type of clothes you wear and your appearance can be the difference between a suspicious police officer and one who doesn’t even look your way. Individuality is important, but it’s also important to understand that many people, especially police, do judge a book by its cover.

Finally, if you’re arrested once with a small amount of marijuana, a good drug crimes attorney like Gary Gerson can likely get you off on lesser crimes, and may even be able to make the charges go away. It’s those who are arrested multiple times who often face the most scrutiny in the face of a judge. If you’ve been arrested once, don’t go back down that road. School is supposed to be fun, but following the law and being responsible are also a huge part of growing up.

Free Consultation – 412-219-6875

If you have questions about marijuana laws in Pennsylvania, call Pittsburgh drug crimes lawyer Gary E. Gerson at 412-219-6875 for a free consultation today.