If a person is found guilty of manufacturing any substance regulated under the Georgia Controlled Substances Act, including marijuana, they will face criminal penalties, including but not limited to the possibility of a fine, a period of incarceration, or both. The following considers the penalties associated with the manufacture of any drugs in Georgia, and how an Atlanta drug law firm can help you to build a defense to charges against you.

Georgia Drug Classifications

The penalties for drug manufacturing will depend on who was involved in the manufacture/cultivation (penalties are steeper if a minor is involved), the schedule of drug being manufactured, and the amount of drug being manufactured.

Under Georgia Code Section 16-13-24, Establishment of Controlled Substances, there are five schedules of controlled substances.

• Schedule I. Schedule I drugs are some of the most serious drugs, and are drugs with “no accepted medical use” in the U.S. and a high potential for abuse. Heroin is a type of schedule I drug, as is ecstasy, according to the United States Drug Enforcement Administration.

• Schedule II. Schedule II drugs are also drugs with a high potential for abuse, including cocaine and methamphetamines.
• Schedule III. Schedule III drugs are drugs with a moderate to low potential for abuse, such as testosterone or anabolic steroids.
• Schedule IV. These are drugs with a low risk for abuse and dependence, and are often prescription drugs such as Xanax or Valium.
• Schedule V. Drugs in this category have a low risk of abuse relative to drugs in other categories. Cough medications with low doses of codeine are schedule V drugs.

The Penalties for Manufacturing Drugs In Atlanta

According to Georgia Code Section 16-13-30, any person who violates the law related to manufacture of a controlled substance in Schedule I, or a narcotic drug in schedule II, is guilty of a felony. Punishment for such charge is imprisonment of at least five years, but no more than 30. A secondary or subsequent conviction is punishable by imprisonment of not less than 10 years, but no more than 40 or life imprisonment.

If the manufacture involves a drug that is classified as a class III, IV, or V drug, they will also be guilty of a felony, but the punishment is much less; imprisonment for up to one year, nor more than 10 years.

Contact an Experienced Atlanta Drug Manufacturing Lawyer Today

If you are facing drug charges in Atlanta, request a free case consultation from the experienced Georgia drug manufacturing lawyers at the Law Office of Thomas, Webb, and Willis, LLC today. You can reach our office by calling us directly now, (404) 250-1113 – we have someone ready to pick up the phone 24 hours a day, seven days a week.