State laws regarding marijuana products are getting complicated. Some states allow marijuana use for medical purposes. Other states allow it for both medical and recreational purposes. Meanwhile, the federal government doesn’t technically allow marijuana use for any reason. Alabama has some of the strictest marijuana laws in the country.
This can create some complex scenarios where people get in trouble for breaking a law that they didn’t even know existed. One way that this could happen is if they cross state lines.
Making a legal purchase
For example, someone who lives in a state with recreational marijuana – like Illinois – may legally make a purchase. They may then travel to another state on vacation or for work and they believe that they can bring their products with them since they were originally purchased legally.
Another example could be someone who lives in a state where marijuana is prohibited, like recreational marijuana is in Alabama. They may believe that, if they drive to a state where they can legally buy it, they can then drive home without violating the law.
In both scenarios, the individual is just trying to adhere to the law and buy their products in a legal fashion. But due to the ban on federal marijuana, crossing state lines is illegal. Additionally, even if someone purchases marijuana in a state where it is approved for recreational or medical use, bringing it to a state where it is prohibited still puts them in violation of the laws in that state.
Legal defense options
As you can imagine, it’s very possible for someone to misinterpret the law and accidentally find themselves under arrest. Those who are facing such serious charges must understand all of the legal defense options at their disposal.