In Florida and around the nation, the laws have been getting harsher when it comes to many drug crimes. Sadly, this may lead to people being punished or put in jail instead of being given the help they truly need. Now, state lawmakers will be reviewing two new proposed laws that would only further this negative cycle.
For some time, it has been possible for a Florida resident to be charged with murder, a felony, in conjunction with an offense related to dealing or selling cocaine or heroin. Now the new laws would extend similar penalties and charges to those people accused of selling, providing or dealing opioid drugs like fentanyl. Reports did not indicate exactly what set of penalties may be involved if the new laws pass or how those penalties might be determined.
The proposals seem to be feeding off of fear that stems from an increase in deaths around the state related to opioids. It has been said that more people died of opioid use or abuse than of murder in 2016 in Miami-Dade County alone. Reports indicate that manslaughter charges could be levied against people found to deal in these drugs.
Anyone in Florida who has been arrested and charged with a serious drug crime might want to contact an attorney. Learning about the laws, especially as they may be changing, may help defendants to make the best choices for their defense processes.
Source; Fox News, “Drug dealers would face manslaughter charges for opioid overdoses under proposed Florida law,” Andrew O’Reilly, March 9, 2017