Unless you are licensed by the proper state and federal authorities, you cannot manufacture any type of narcotic or other controlled substance. While it is well known that growing marijuana or making methamphetamine is illegal, those are not the only instances of illegal drug manufacturing prohibited in Alabama. Any situation involving a controlled substance can land you in serious trouble.
What does Manufacturing mean?
The term “drug manufacturing” refers to any situation where an individual participates in any part of the process of creating an illegal drug. This can include mixing together chemicals to create LSD, “cooking” or producing methamphetamine, as well as growing marijuana plants. In fact, offering to assist in the drug manufacturing process may be sufficient to support a drug manufacturing charge.
Distributing materials used in manufacturing is also illegal
Illegal drug manufacturing also includes supplying chemicals, chemical mixtures, components, or materials to someone else, if you knew or had reasonable cause to know that those substances would be used to make illegal drugs. For instance, cooking meth requires specific chemical components. If you supply any of those chemical components to someone who then uses them to make meth, you can be charged with drug manufacturing if you knew that is what they were going to do.
Possession of the manufacturing components is enough
A common misconception is that you must actually make the illegal substance to be convicted of manufacturing. That is not at all the case. You can actually be convicted of a drug manufacturing if you simply possess the chemical components, manufacturing equipment, or other devices involved in the manufacturing of controlled substances.
Unlawful Manufacturing of Controlled Substance in Alabama
The Alabama Criminal Code criminalizes the actual manufacturing of the controlled substance and also makes it illegal to possess “precursor substances” with intent to manufacture a controlled substance out of the precursor substances. For instance, possession of sinus medication containing Ephedrine or Pseudo-ephedrine, which are considered a precursor substance used in the manufacture of methamphetamine, can lead to a drug charge.
If you have questions regarding manufacturing controlled substances, or any other criminal defense matters, please contact Ketcham Law by calling us at (205) 296-4233.
