Any criminal charge is a very serious issue. That said, the law does not view every criminal charge as equal. When facing drug charges in Wisconsin, the severity of consequences depends on the substance involved.
Many come to us here at Krische & Moertel, LLC facing drug charges questioning how the law views offenses related to the substance they allegedly possessed. If you share the same question regarding pending criminal charges against you, then you will likely find a review of the state’s drug schedules beneficial.
Categorizing controlled substances
It goes without saying that certain types of drugs present a greater potential for harm than others. Thus, authorities structure the gravity of potential criminal offenses related to controlled substances differently. You can see this in the structure of Wisconsin’s drug schedules. According to the Wisconsin Legislature, the state has five distinct drug schedules. The criteria defining the substances within them are as follows:
- Schedule I: A high potential for abuse, no current medical applications in the U.S. and lack accepted safe uses even under the supervision of a medical professional
- Schedule II: A high potential for abuse, do have current medical applications (under severe restrictions), and have the potential for users developing extreme psychological or physical dependencies
- Schedule III: A moderate potential for abuse, current medical applications, and the potential for the development of a moderate physical or extreme psychological dependency
- Schedule IV: A low potential for abuse, current medical applications, and the potential for the development of limited physical or psychological dependencies
- Schedule V: Current medical applications that have the lowest potential of abuse and the development of dependencies
Comprehending criminal penalties
Despite the recognized variance in drug severity, a conviction related to any substance can dramatically impact your life. You can find information on handling accusations of drug crimes throughout our site.
