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Quantity Tiers Related to Delaware Drug Crimes

In Delaware any drug crime charge is serious and should be treated as such. They are either misdemeanors or felonies and this is dictated typically by the amount of drug, type of drug and what you intend to do with it when you are caught. Delaware utilizes a quantity tier system for determining how a drug crime will be charged i.e. felony or misdemeanor. Tier 1 is the lowest tier and includes the smallest quantities of narcotics. Tier 5 is the highest and carries with it the more severe penalties. In addition to the tiers, other factors such as your prior criminal history also have a lot to do with how you will be charged. Speaking with an aggressive and experienced Delaware Drug Defense Lawyer is in your best interest if you are facing Delaware drug charges.




Delaware Drug Quantity Tier Laws

§ 4751C. Quantity tiers related to drug offenses.

(1) “Tier 5 Controlled Substances Quantity” means:

a. 25 grams or more of cocaine or of any mixture containing cocaine, as described in § 4716(b)(4) of this title;

b. 5 grams or more of any morphine, opium or any salt, isomer or salt of an isomer thereof, including heroin, as described in § 4714 of this title, or of any mixture containing any such substance;

c. 5000 grams or more of marijuana, as described in § 4701(26) of this title;

d. 25 grams or more of methamphetamine, including its salt, isomer or salt of an isomer thereof, or of any mixture containing any such substance, as described in § 4716(d)(3) of this title;

e. 25 grams or more of amphetamine, including its salts, optical isomers and salt of its optical isomers, or of any mixture containing any such substance, as described in § 4716(d)(1) of this title;

f. 25 grams or more of phencyclidine, or of any mixture containing any such substance, as described in § 4716(e)(5) of this title;

g. 500 or more doses or, in a liquid form, 50 milligrams or more of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), or any mixture containing such substance, as described in § 4714(d)(9) of this title;

h. 62.5 or more doses or 12.5 or more grams or 12.5 milliliters or more of any substance as described in § 4714 of this title that is not otherwise set forth in this section, a designer drug as described in § 4701(9) of this title, or of any mixture containing any such substance; or

i. 62.5 or more doses or 12.5 or more grams or 12.5 milliliters or more of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), its optical, positional and geometric isomers, salts and salts of isomers, or any mixture containing such substance, as described in § 4714(d)(21) of this title.

(2) “Tier 4 Controlled Substances Quantity” means:

a. 20 grams or more of cocaine or of any mixture containing cocaine, as described in § 4716(b)(4) of this title;

b. 4 grams or more of any morphine, opium or any salt, isomer or salt of an isomer thereof, including heroin, as described in § 4714 of this title, or of any mixture containing any such substance;

c. 4000 grams or more of marijuana, as described in § 4701(26) of this title;

d. 20 grams or more of methamphetamine, including its salt, isomer or salt of an isomer thereof, or of any mixture containing any such substance, as described in § 4716(d)(3) of this title;

e. 20 grams or more of amphetamine, including its salts, optical isomers and salt of its optical isomers, or of any mixture containing any such substance, as described in § 4716(d)(1) of this title;

f. 20 grams or more of phencyclidine, or of any mixture containing any such substance, as described in § 4716(e)(5) of this title;

g. 250 or more doses or, in a liquid form, 25 milligrams or more of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), or any mixture containing such substance, as described in § 4714(d)(9) of this title;

h. 50 or more doses or 10 or more grams or 10 milliliters or more of any substance as described in § 4714 of this title that is not otherwise set forth in this section, a designer drug as described in § 4701(9) of this title, or of any mixture containing any such substance;

i. 50 or more doses or 10 or more grams or 10 milliliters or more of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), its optical, positional and geometric isomers, salts and salts of isomers, or any mixture containing such substance, as described in § 4714(d)(21) of this title; or

j. 60 or more substantially identical doses of a narcotic Schedule II or III controlled substance that is a prescription drug, or 6 grams or more of any mixture that contains a narcotic Schedule II or III controlled substance that is a prescription drug.

(3) “Tier 3 Controlled Substances Quantity” means:

a. 15 grams or more of cocaine or of any mixture containing cocaine, as described in § 4716(b)(4) of this title;

b. 3 grams or more of any morphine, opium or any salt, isomer or salt of an isomer thereof, including heroin, as described in § 4714 of this title, or of any mixture containing any such substance;

c. 3000 grams or more of marijuana, as described in § 4701(26) of this title;

d. 15 grams or more of methamphetamine, including its salt, isomer or salt of an isomer thereof, or of any mixture containing any such substance, as described in § 4716(d)(3) of this title;

e. 15 grams or more of amphetamine, including its salts, optical isomers and salt of its optical isomers, or of any mixture containing any such substance, as described in § 4716(d)(1) of this title;

f. 15 grams or more of phencyclidine, or of any mixture containing any such substance, as described in § 4716(e)(5) of this title;

g. 100 or more doses or, in a liquid form, 10 milligrams or more of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), or any mixture containing such substance, as described in § 4714(d)(9) of this title;

h. 37.5 or more doses or 7.5 or more grams or 7.5 milliliters or more of any substance as described in § 4714 of this title that is not otherwise set forth in this section, a designer drug as described in § 4701(9) of this title, or of any mixture containing any such substance; or

i. 37.5 or more doses or 7.5 or more grams or 7.5 milliliters or more of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), its optical, positional and geometric isomers, salts and salts of isomers, or any mixture containing such substance, as described in § 4714(d)(21) of this title.

(4) “Tier 2 Controlled Substances Quantity” means:

a. 10 grams or more of cocaine or of any mixture containing cocaine, as described in § 4716(b)(4) of this title;

b. 2 grams or more of any morphine, opium or any salt, isomer or salt of an isomer thereof, including heroin, as described in § 4714 of this title, or of any mixture containing any such substance;

c. 1500 grams or more of marijuana, as described in § 4701(26) of this title;

d. 10 grams or more of methamphetamine, including its salt, isomer or salt of an isomer thereof, or of any mixture containing any such substance, as described in § 4716(d)(3) of this title;

e. 10 grams or more of amphetamine, including its salts, optical isomers and salt of its optical isomers, or of any mixture containing any such substance, as described in § 4716(d)(1) of this title;

f. 10 grams or more of phencyclidine, or of any mixture containing any such substance, as described in § 4716(e)(5) of this title;

g. 50 or more doses or, in a liquid form, 5 milligrams or more of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), or any mixture containing such substance, as described in § 4714(d)(9) of this title;

h. 25 or more doses or 5 or more grams or 5 milliliters or more of any substance as described in § 4714 of this title that is not otherwise set forth in this section, a designer drug as described in § 4701(9) of this title, or of any mixture containing any such substance;

i. 25 or more doses or 5 or more grams or 5 milliliters or more of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), its optical, positional and geometric isomers, salts and salts of isomers, or any mixture containing such substance, as described in § 4714(d)(21) of this title; or

j. 30 or more substantially identical doses of a narcotic Schedule II or III controlled substance that is a prescription drug, or 3 grams or more of any mixture that contains a narcotic Schedule II or III controlled substance that is a prescription drug.

(5) “Tier 1 Controlled Substances Quantity” means:

a. 5 grams or more of cocaine or of any mixture containing cocaine, as described in § 4716(b)(4) of this title;

b. 1 gram or more of any morphine, opium or any salt, isomer or salt of an isomer thereof, including heroin, as described in § 4714 of this title, or of any mixture containing any such substance;

c. 175 grams or more of marijuana, as described in § 4701(26) of this title;

d. 5 grams or more of methamphetamine, including its salt, isomer or salt of an isomer thereof, or of any mixture containing any such substance, as described in § 4716(d)(3) of this title;

e. 5 grams or more of amphetamine, including its salts, optical isomers and salt of its optical isomers, or of any mixture containing any such substance, as described in § 4716(d)(1) of this title;

f. 5 grams or more of phencyclidine, or of any mixture containing any such substance, as described in § 4716(e)(5) of this title;

g. 25 or more doses or, in a liquid form, 2.5 milligrams or more of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), or any mixture containing such substance, as described in § 4714(d)(9) of this title;

h. 12.5 or more doses or 2.5 or more grams or 2.5 milliliters or more of any substance as described in § 4714 of this title that is not otherwise set forth in this section, a designer drug as described in § 4701(9) of this title, or of any mixture containing any such substance; or

i. 12.5 or more doses or 2.5 or more grams or 2.5 milliliters or more of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), its optical, positional and geometric isomers, salts and salts of isomers, or any mixture containing such substance, as described in § 4714(d)(21) of this title.

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The Law Office of Brian J. Chapman serves the accused throughout all of Delaware including: Wilmington, Newark, Pike Creek, Hockessin, Bear, Glasgow, Middletown, Smyrna, Dover, Harrington, Milford, Georgetown, Seaford, Laurel, Rehoboth Beach, Dewey Beach, Bethany Beach, Fenwick Island, Ocean View and Dagsboro, Delaware