New Jersey Ritalin Possession and Distribution Charges
“Have you been arrested for Ritalin in NJ? Read this page for information about prescription drug charges for Ritalin.”
Experienced NJ Prescription Drug Defense Lawyers Explain Ritalin Offenses
Because of Ritalin’s popularity for controlling behavioral issues and inattentiveness, it is readily available for many adolescents from peers and on the black market. Ritalin, urbanely known as “kiddie coke,” “diet coke,” or “poor man’s cocaine,” is sometimes used as a recreational drug rather than its intended purpose. Abusers will often manipulate the pill, such as grinding it into powder, administering the substance through different avenues – including inhalation and intravenous injection. Those methods allow the medication to absorb into the body at a higher rate, which creates a much more powerful euphoric sensation akin to the feeling of cocaine.
Therefore, abusers who are addicted to the prescription drug often find themselves confronting law enforcement while pursuing more of the medication. According to New Jersey law, a person that knowingly possesses, actually or constructively a prescription drug without a valid prescription from a licensed professional in an amount of four or fewer units is guilty of a disorderly persons offense, which could carry a six-month jail sentence with a $550 fine. Further, if the individual carries an amount of five or more units, they could be guilty of a fourth degree crime, which could hold an eighteen-month prison sentence and an $800 fine.
First Offense Drug Charges for Ritalin in New Jersey
Illegal Ritalin possession can often be an individual’s first offense. Fortunately, New Jersey law provides a program for first time drug offenders with a disorderly persons offense, called Conditional Discharge. The New Jersey legislature understood that first-time offenders sometimes make there only mistake; and therefore, do not deserve to have a permanent criminal record for a disorderly persons offense.
The Conditional Discharge program allows individuals to avoid entering a plea, and to have their case remain in pending. The person will have to confront a judge and explain the circumstance. The judge will set a non-reporting probation with possible random drug screens for either a six month or one-year period, depending on the case and the judge. In addition to the judge’s probation sentence, the person will have to pay fines around $850. If the person remains arrest free during the period set by the judge and does not fail any drug test, the state will dismiss the charges after completing the probationary period.
A similar program called Pretrial Intervention (PTI) is available to first-time drug offenders charged with third degree and fourth degree Ritalin-related crimes. If you are facing Ritalin charges in Superior Court, you should contact a knowledgeable attorney to find out if you may be eligible for the PTI program.
What’s the difference between Ritalin and Adderall?
While both pharmaceutical drugs affect the central nervous system by increasing the abundance of norepinephrine and dopamine, the principal difference between them is timing. A prescription drugs half-life, or any drug’s half-life, determines how long a drug remains in the body. Adderall’s half-life (about 10 hours) is a little more than double than Ritalin’s half-life (about 3. 5 hours.) Therefore, depending on the individual, Adderall lasts about four to six hours, while Ritalin remains active for two to three hours. Doctors interchange the drug depending on the patient’s side effects – loss of appetite or inability to sleep. It is important to note that all prescription drugs, including Adderall and Ritalin, are illegal to possess without a valid prescription from a licensed dentist, medical doctor, veterinarian, or other practitioner.
Contact an NJ Ritalin Attorney for a Free Legal Consultation
If you are facing Ritalin charges for possession, distribution, intent to distribute, or another prescription drug offense in New Jersey, you need to find out your rights. There may be weaknesses in the case against you or you may be a great candidate for a diversionary program. In other words, don’t risk losing in court because you don’t know enough about how you can achieve a dismissal. Call The Tormey Law Firm at (201)-556-1570 for a free consultation with an experienced NJ criminal defense lawyer. We are available 24/7 to answer your questions and provide the information you need.
