Thoughts by a Wallin & Klarich Criminal Defense Attorney
A Morro Bay pot dispensary owner was sentenced to one year and one day in prison by a federal judge in Los Angeles, according to a published report on latimes.com. Charles Lynch, 47, was prosecuted for illegally distributing marijuana from his Central Coast Compassionate Caregivers facility, despite having the blessing of Morro Bay’s mayor, city attorney and other civic leaders. His California drug crime case has become a symbol, nationwide, of the growing rift between state and federal medical marijuana laws.
Cultivating, using and selling doctor-prescribed marijuana is allowed in California and about a dozen other states, but such activities are banned entirely under federal law. Lynch’s defense attorneys attempted to portray him as a distributor of medicine to the sickly who were seeking relief from chronic illnesses. The prosecution painted him as a common drug dealer, who often sold to underage clientele and perfectly healthy individuals.
The medical marijuana issue is one that is being debated across our nation. As states continue to legislate the matter and make marijuana dispensaries legal and possession and consumption of marijuana for medical purposes also legal, the question of when and how federal drug charges get enforced is being considered.
While this topic is very likely to not resolve anytime soon, one thing is very certain. Those arrested for marijuana possession and distribution, regardless of the circumstances behind their case, need to hire an experienced drug defense attorney to help defend their rights. Marijuana possession and cultivation laws are constantly changing, as are the tactics that experienced marijuana possession and distribution defense attorneys use to defend their clients. Wallin & Klarich’s criminal defense attorneys are well versed in the art of mounting a competent, compelling defense for those charged with drug possession and/or distribution in California.
Their aggressive attorneys are available 24 hours a day 7 days a week to advise you on your case. Call us today at 1-888-280-6839. Also, visit us online at www.wklaw.com to learn more about your case and what can be done.
