You may know that drug trafficking is illegal in Arkansas. However, you may not realize that this crime may be subject to both state and federal laws and that the penalty may be different depending on the kind of substance you sell.
FindLaw says that depending on the situation, you may face either state and federal charges for drug trafficking. If you sell drugs within Arkansas, you usually only face state charges. If you sell drugs across state lines, however, then you are generally subject to federal law. One key difference between state and federal charges is that under state law, you may face charges for selling smaller amounts of a substance. Additionally, a prison sentence may be higher under federal law.
It is important to understand that the penalty for drug trafficking depends on the substance you sell. The federal government typically puts drugs into different classes and you may face stiffer charges if you sell a drug categorized as a higher class substance. Law officials determine these categories based on whether a drug has a medical use and how likely it is that someone might become addicted to this substance. If you sell a drug that does not have a medical use and may cause people to become addicted, you may face a stricter penalty.
You may not realize that selling prescription drugs can also be drug trafficking. This is generally the case if you are selling prescription medications without a license. The penalty for this type of trafficking may depend on the kind of medication you sell. If you sell a medication that people can easily misuse, you may face a greater penalty.
This information is general in nature. People should not use it in place of legal advice.