Illegal Drug and Marijuana Law

About this book

"This book provides an overview of the law and policy of controlled substances. Chapter 1 focuses on drugs and drug use by briefly examining the question of what is a drug and offering perspectives on substance use, abuse and addiction. Chapter 2 introduces some of the key policy questions related to drug prohibition in the United States. Chapter 3 moves from policy to legal doctrine with an overview of drug crimes, including: possession, possession with intent to distribute, manufacture, and additional offenses like drug paraphernalia laws. Chapter 4 addresses drug sentencing and civil sanctions. Chapter 5 deals with the legal and policy issues raised by drug investigations, from the use of informants to racial profiling. Chapter 6 moves from criminal law to administrative law with an examination of the Controlled Substances Act, the federal law under which drugs of abuse are classified and controlled. Chapter 7 focuses on criminal and regulatory provisions related to the recreational use of medicines. Chapter 8 examines state marijuana legalization laws and the conflict between federal and state marijuana laws. Finally, Chapter 9 concludes with a look at international drug control law"--