Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is many times stronger than traditional opiate drugs. It is also relatively cheap and easy to manufacture. Fentanyl is so powerful that it can very easily lead to addiction and overdose. As a result, it has become one of the highest-priority drugs for law enforcement agencies in Georgia and across the United States. One of the reasons that fentanyl-related arrests and hospitalizations have increased significantly in recent years is the contamination of other drugs with fentanyl.
Tests have turned up fentanyl in everything from cocaine and party drugs to fake prescription pills sold on the unregulated market. Fentanyl contamination can have a major impact on someone’s criminal charges if they get arrested with drugs that contain fentanyl.
How contamination affects a criminal case
There are several ways in which someone accused of a drug crime in Georgia might pay a higher price because of fentanyl contamination. The first and most obvious is that the state will likely pursue charges related to the current scheduling status of fentanyl. It is a Schedule II substance, making it one of the most dangerous types of drugs to possess.
Typically, the charges that people face depend on the weight of the drugs found in addition to the type of drugs. The state might potentially try to bring charges for the full weight of all of the drugs contaminated by fentanyl as Schedule II drugs. Additionally, judges might have a harsher response to a case involving fentanyl contamination. Often, the people caught with drugs contaminated by fentanyl may not even know about its presence. They could then endanger anyone that they share those drugs with because they won’t have accurate information about the substances they will consume.
Fentanyl is one of the reasons that fatal opioid overdoses have surged in Georgia in recent years. Judges may assume that someone was aware of the fentanyl contamination and that it was intentional. They might impose the harshest possible penalties because of how fentanyl contamination affects members of the public.
Those who are unaware of fentanyl contamination before consuming drugs are at elevated risk of overdose and death. Those caught with contaminated drugs may face serious consequences if they plead guilty or get convicted. Recognizing how certain factors can complicate Georgia drug charges may benefit those trying to put together an effective defense strategy with the assistance of a skilled criminal defense attorney.
