When you think of drug trafficking and drug traffickers, images of Breaking Bad or huge, dangerous cartels probably come to mind.
In reality, you may be looking at a drug trafficker every time you look in the mirror – without even realizing it. While cartels, meth labs and the like certainly are part of drug trafficking, the law actually defines trafficking far more broadly than most people think.
California Health and Safety Code 11352 has some big ramifications for everyday people
Under California HSC 11352, “every person who transports, imports into this state, sells, furnishes, administers, or gives away, or offers to transport” a controlled substance is guilty of trafficking in drugs.
That means the law applies to people like:
- Your grandmother, who gave you some of her Percocet prescription pills after you hurt your back until you could get into see a pain doctor for your own prescription
- Your brother, who shared his ADHD medication with you when you lost your bottle right before you had exams
- Your buddy, who grows psychedelic mushrooms on his back deck and sells them just to his close friends once in a while
- Your cousin, who occasionally sells a few benzos on the side to his college buddies to support his own habit
- You, after you gave your girlfriend a tab of ecstasy before you went clubbing
In some of those cases, money may have changed hands. In many cases, it did not. To the authorities, however, that makes no difference. The average person has no idea how easily they can end up in serious legal trouble due to a drug crime. That’s why it’s so important to have experienced guidance when it happens.