Heroin is a highly addictive recreational drug that is illegal across the U.S. Drug laws in Georgia criminalize the possession, selling or trafficking of heroin. The result is an automatic felony, thousands of dollars in fines or several years in prison.
The severity of heroin charges
Heroin use includes the most severe form of addiction and the inclusion of drug sellers and smugglers who commit crimes to generate profit. Heroin contains powerful euphoric properties that exceed those of morphine and most other narcotics.
The drug charges for heroin addiction are more severe than for other types of illegal drugs. The euphoric effects of consuming heroin decrease and require higher dosages for the same results. Heroin addicts become more desperate and more willing to commit crimes as their addiction worsens. For these reasons, heroin charges are very severe and unforgiving in many U.S. states.
Punitive laws: Possession
The possession of heroin in any amount or of any classification is a felony in Georgia. The prison sentence varies from two to 15 years for a first conviction and up to 30 years for a second conviction.
Selling and trafficking
Selling and trafficking heroin are felonies with longer prison sentences. The first conviction for selling heroin is imprisonment for five to 30 years. A second conviction is a life sentence. Trafficking heroin is five to 25 years in prison and a minimum fine of $50,000.
Georgia is no more lenient to heroin users and sellers than in other states. Every heroin-related crime is a felony. The type of felony is classified by its severity with possession being the least severe. As crime becomes more severe, the punishment becomes increasingly severe and includes a conviction, fine or imprisonment.