Marijuana and Drug Paraphernalia Tickets in New Mexico

If you have been ticketed for Possession of Marijuana or Drug Paraphernalia in New Mexico, you should contact Attorney Glenn Smith Valdez immediately at (505) 877-8787. In New Mexico, possession of a small amount of marijuana, (less than 8 ounces) is a misdemeanor, meaning that jail time is a possibility (though extremely rare). Most people caught in possession of these small amounts of marijuana are given tickets or citations and are required to appear by a certain date to plead to the charges. Likewise, the possession of drug paraphernalia is a misdemeanor, so you may end up with a citation or ticket for drug paraphernalia and told to appear in court at a later date. If you were visiting or passing through New Mexico and received a ticket for possession of marijuana or drug paraphernalia and are unable to return for court or worried about the consequences for work, school, employment or the like, contact attorney Glenn Smith Valdez today.

Having a lawyer on your side can make all the difference when you are facing marijuana or drug paraphernalia charges in New Mexico. Mr. Valdez has been a top-rated lawyer in New Mexico for over 20 years and has successfully represented people charged with marijuana and drug paraphernalia possession in courts around the state. While he has won many cases with large quantities of marijuana at issue, his passion for representing ordinary people charged with possessing user amounts of marijuana or drug paraphernalia, (i.e., a pipe, rolling papers or the dreaded zip lock bag) is unmatched. Mr. Valdez’s passion for these cases comes from an understanding that the constitution is designed to protect us all from having the government going through our homes, our cars and our pockets and that lawyers stand on that line to enforce the constitution. While some might think that fighting over a cop finding a pipe with pot residue or a little baggie of weed is unimportant, Glenn Smith Valdez knows that the constitutional right to free from government intrusion is only as strong as those willing to fight for it.

When you combine Mr. Valdez’ understanding of 4th amendment law, his success at having illegal searches and seizures thrown out and his willingness to put that to work for someone charged with having a joint, a blunt or a loaded pipe in their car, you get a great lawyer who will fight hard to get you the best possible result. With his knowledge of New Mexico courts and procedural rules throughout the state of New Mexico, you have someone who can often resolve your possession of marijuana or drug paraphernalia ticket without you ever having to return for court.

While the penalties for a marijuana ticket are typically minor, the collateral consequences can be very serious, in fact, in some cases, a misdemeanor drug conviction can have the same effect as a felony conviction. These collateral consequences include:

• Travel Restrictions
  Many countries will deny entry to those convicted of any drug offense. Want to see Canada? If you have a drug conviction you are ineligible for entry into our Northern neighbor.
• Education/Financial Aid
  Students convicted of drug offenses are prohibited from receiving federal loans or grants for a one-year period after a first conviction, two years after a second conviction and indefinitely for a third offense.
• Housing
  Federally Funded Public Housing Authorities (PHA’s) are required to terminate the lease of anyone convicted of a drug offense, and those with a drug conviction may not reside in public housing.
• Licensing
  The federal government sets licensing requirements for many professions and a drug conviction can make it more difficult if not impossible to become licensed as a pilot, flight engineer or merchant marine among others.
• Employment
  Many employers conduct background checks on potential employees and will not hire those with drug convictions.

Don’t risk the repercussions of a drug conviction, regardless of how minor it may seem! A marijuana citation or drug paraphernalia ticket can have very serious consequences in ways far beyond a monetary penalty or the hassle of a court proceeding – Call attorney Glenn Smith Valdez today at (505) 877-8787.

New Mexico does not have an expungement statute for people convicted of a crime, regardless of circumstances, time, rehabilitation or level of offense. So, if you are convicted of your New Mexico marijuana ticket or drug paraphernalia citation it is going to stay on your record for the foreseeable future. The time to deal with your marijuana ticket is right now. Don’t wait until you have a conviction only to find out that it is never going away. Call New Mexico attorney Glenn Smith Valdez today, and start fighting your marijuana citation or drug paraphernalia ticket immediately.

Many people now have medical marijuana cards in their home state and are stopped and found in possession of marijuana or drug paraphernalia in New Mexico. Some are arrested for the charges, but most are given a ticket or citation for the possession of marijuana or drug paraphernalia. Those ticketed are given a New Mexico Uniform Traffic Citation and ordered to appear to plead to the charges. While they may believe that their home state status or medical marijuana license will protect them, New Mexico’s Medical Marijuana Law does not have a reciprocity provision, meaning that New Mexico does not honor out-of-state Medical Marijuana Certificates or Licenses. If you are an out-of-state resident ticketed for possession of marijuana or possession of drug paraphernalia in New Mexico, call Attorney Glenn Smith Valdez today at (505) 877-8787. Many times, Mr. Valdez has successfully represented out of state residents charged with possession of marijuana or drug paraphernalia without them ever having to return for court.

Medical Marijuana in New Mexico is regulated by the Lynn and Erin Compassionate Use Act §§26-2B-1 to 26-2B-7. The act allows a for “qualified patients” and their “primary caregiver” to possess an “adequate supply” of cannabis in any form approved by the New Mexico department of health. The cannabis must be produced by a licensed producer within the state and the patient must have their certification updated yearly. For “qualified patients” and their “primary caregiver,” the act provides exemption from civil and criminal penalties for the “medical use of cannabis.”