Morphine Possession

Morphine is a dangerous drug that can get you entrenched in a legal nightmare if law enforcement officers accuse you of possession.

If you, or a loved one, have been arrested on suspicion of possessing morphine, the first step you should take is to call criminal defense attorney Michael Anzalone.

Morphine is in the opioid family of drugs and falls under category II in New Hampshire’s controlled substance schedule, which categorizes drugs into five lists. The most dangerous drugs, which are highly addictive and have no real medical value, are classified as category, or schedule I.

Morphine falls into a category with cocaine, methadone and methamphetamine. It can be highly dangerous if not used as prescribed. This means that these drugs have a high potential for abuse and are accepted as medical use for treatment in the United States. It can be injected, swallowed or smoked.

That’s a major reason that law enforcement officials go after people who possess this drug illegally.

The state’s Controlled Drug Act can be found in the statutes at RSA 318-B:26.

At The Anzalone Law Firm, we encourage our clients to learn as much as possible about the state drug laws. It helps as you go through the judicial process.

If you’ve been arrested, we’ll want to make sure police officers or sheriff’s deputies didn’t perform an illegal search to charge you with possession of morphine. Criminal defense lawyer Michael Anzalone will pay special attention to the arrest report to determine why you were arrested and what led officers to stop your vehicle.

The most important thing you should know is to never speak to police officers after your arrest unless your attorney is by your side. It is never advisable to talk without representation.

In New Hampshire, the opioid crisis has brought special attention to the drug problem. To understand what you may be dealing with if arrested, here is a breakdown of the potential penalty. Anyone caught possessing drugs in categories I, II, II and IV, may face up to seven years in prison and up to $25,000 in fines for a first offense.

If you lapse and are arrested subsequent times, the penalty increases to up to 15 years in prison and fines of up to $50,000.

Drugs listed in category V are not considered as dangerous or addictive. But anyone arrested for possession of these drugs, which include cough medicine with codeine, can still get a sentence of up to three years in prison and a fine of up to $15,000. The severity increases to up to seven years in prison and up to $25,000 in fines for a second arrest.

If you’ve been taking morphine, the judge may sentence you to extensive rehabilitation. Remember, treatment and other programs you may be ordered to participate in will be at your expense. This can be a very expensive arrest, with the fines, fees and treatment you must pay for.

And you may lose your job _ or your driving privileges _ in New Hampshire if you are convicted.

For a free consultation, contact The Anzalone Law Firm in Nashua, New Hampshire.