25 Calendar Years AND $500,000 fine Mandatory Minimum

If this isn't enough to scare you, I don't know what will. I have a friend who was recently arrested attempting to buy 110 oxycodones.  Apparently, he was set up by someone else trying to beat the rap on their charge.  The thing is, here in Florida, if you are convicted of possessing or buying more than 25 grams of oxycodone, you are considered to be engaged in Trafficking in Oxycodone.  For that you get 25 years in prison and a half-million dollar fine MANDATORY!!! At 37, if he is convicted, he will be 62 and $500K in debt when he gets out of prision. In Florida (and many other states) if the pills you have in your possession contain hydro or oxy and asprin/acetominiphen/whatever they count the total weight of the pill towards determining what your sentence is, not just the narcotic portion.  For example, a woman worked in a Dr.'s office. She calls in a fake script for 40 Lortab for her personal use. Pharmacy gets suspicious. Calls cops. She get arrested. Because the total weight of the pills was more than 25 grams. She got mandatory 25 years in prision. You get LESS for cocaine!  That is one hell of a punishment for someone who is otherwise not a criminal, huh? In Florida, Mother's little helper can get mother convicted of trafficking and sent away for the better part of the rest of her life!  Be careful kids.  As misguided as the laws are, Law enforcement is not f*cking around down here.  Just because you can get them from the dentist, don't think that possessing them w/o a prescription is not a very, very dangerous thing to do. And with the daily amounts I hear thrown around here, its safe to say that many a visitor to this site has purchased or possessed in excess of 25 grams on many occasions.  Please don't let this happen to you.

[NautyOne]

Thats amazing......I can murder my neighbor and get less time and probably no fine.  Don't you love our justice system......I don't think Rush Limbaugh served one day for the 10,000 Oxy's in his possession.

[notmenow!]

Let me get this right. I also live in the sun shine state. I was under the care of a very well respected Pain Management Practice, she also has her DEA waiver to write for suboxone. I was being treated for 2 herniated disc's, and a terrible case of sciatica. All confirmed by multiple test from Mri to EGG for nerve damage which I have. She put me on 40mg oxycontin every 8 hrs and for breakthrough pain she prescribed 1-2 norco every 4-6hrs prn not to exceed 8 tablets a day. So I would go to pharmacy in Tampa that never questioned the scripts. As long as my insurance approved the claim they would fill them. So I would get in my car and drive 75 miles home with 120 oxycontin and 240 Norco. If I had been pulled over would there have been a problem---Noah

[Spooked]

So long as you have legitimate scripts for what you have in your possession you are okay. In both examples I gave, the folks did not have legitimate scripts for the drugs.

Nauty - that is crazy isn't it! Rush wasn't exactly stupid, he had real scripts...he just had too many scripts...but in the eyes of blind lady justice at least he had scripts.

So my buddy buys 100 off the street, goes to jail for 25 years. Rush buys thousands of pills (just as unlawfully I might add) and he gets nothing. My buddy's crime is considered trafficking. Rush's crime is called "Doctor shopping."  Even though they are exactly the same thing!  So, what's the message for the public? For God sake's go doctor shopping!!! Don't buy off the street, or they'll lock you up and throw away the key because you are a "trafficker." What a f*cked up society we live in, huh?

[NautyOne]

I think he was talking about the one's who obtain it illegally .........

[NautyOne]

are you serious.......i was under the impression that he had 10,000 in his possession.  I guess i misunderstood, but that many......i dont get it unless it was 50 years of scripts?? do you know the story ??

[Savas]

We've got the Rockefeller Laws here in NY, which guarantee a life sentence with almost any drug crime. What do you expect? Drug arrests are big business. It's ridiculous, but it's like the laws they have on the books about having oral sex (in your bedroom) being illegal or transporting woman across the state line (don't remember which state, but it was originally an anti-prostitution law, and it's a still in effect).
If a political tries to fight these laws, they get branded "Anit-family" and "pro drug and crime". So these ridiculous laws still exist on the books, and destroy lives. I suppose you could put the blame for them squarely on us, the people. The average voter is so stupid and easily swayed by rhetoric, they get worked up and vote for the dumbest things. I swear, voting should be an earned right, that you have to take classes in government and law to earn.

[fishmeal]

On one hand, you need the justice system but on the other.... it's hard to believe.

[GA Guy]

It's time our government started treating these people instead of incarcerating them. Paying for at least 1-2 drug rehabs is cheaper than 25 years of jail for us taxpayers. Just my 2 cents (which is worth maybe 1 penny the way I feel).