Recently there has been some legal argument as to the criminal consequences of heroin-related deaths in Cook County and DuPage County. This country discusses the possibilities and limitations of criminal liability. The case of 21-year old Christopher Houdek is interesting. Apparently he and a girlfriend Adrianna Diana (20) cooked and…
Local agencies in Illinois are getting concerned about the increasing use of designer drugs, particularly as it relates to driving offenses. Incidents of bizarre behavior that is clearly out of the ordinary are being reported regularly. It is almost as if there is something in the water but the truth…
At first blush, the idea of predictive policing sounds a lot like something out of the movie Minority Report. In order to target their policing efforts, the Chicago Police Department uses a high-tech database of persons, which it refers to as the Strategic Subject List, who are most likely to…
The legalization of recreational marijuana in several states over the last few years has created a business opportunity that some people are finding difficult to resist. Non-commercial cultivators in states like Colorado that have legalized recreational marijuana have little legal regulation, and even less oversight, and with prices for their…
Ecstasy, increasingly referred to as Molly, is the street name for the drug MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine). Whatever you call it, Ecstasy is a synthetic and psychoactive drug, with similarities to stimulants like amphetamine and with similarities to hallucinogens, like mescaline. Those who take it report experiencing euphoria, increased energy, warmth and…
It is against the law in Illinois to possess any amount of cocaine at all. Cocaine, a stimulant derived from the coca plant, is classified as a Schedule I drug in Illinois. The penalties for the possession of cocaine are set out in the Illinois Controlled Substances Act at 720…
In October of this year, there were more than 100 heroin overdoses in Chicago, including 74 in a 72 hour period. Police blame one batch of heroin that swept through Chicago’s West Side, which was laced with the drug fentanyl, a powerful painkiller. Most of the users who overdosed obtained…
Whether you are facing charges of possession of a controlled substance or illicit drug, or you have been charged with trafficking with the intent to sell or distribute illegal drugs, there are many legal defenses available to you. Depending on which, if any, is applicable, you can greatly reduce the…
Illinois is ahead of much of the country on taking an innovative approach to dealing with heroin addiction with the passage of The Heroin Crisis Act (The Act). The Act follows the lead of the Chief of Police in Gloucester, MA, and instead of treating people charged with heroin possession…
Throughout the United States, a remarkable change of heart and mind about the use of marijuana is in progress, and Illinois has joined in, albeit with some resistance. There are currently 38 states with some type of medical marijuana program, 16 states that have decriminalized smaller amounts of marijuana possession,…