Drug possession is a popular juvenile offense committed across the country unfortunately. The penalties for possession in Maine depends on the classification of the drug and the amount found.
The following drug schedule is taken from the Maine Revised Statutes Title 17-A, Chapter 45, §1102:
- Schedule W: includes cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin, ecstasy, methamphetamine, and Vicodin
- Schedule X: includes hallucinogenic drugs, hashish, and drugs that depress the central nervous system
- Schedule Y: Codeine, Barbitol and other prescription drugs
- Schedule Z: marijuana, all prescription drugs other than those included in previous schedules
Penalties for drug possession
If you get convicted for drug possession, the penalty that you could face depends on the nature of the drug that you were in possession of, and how much of it you had.
Generally, drug possession is a misdemeanor charge. The exact penalties depend on which of Maine’s controlled substance Schedules the drug belongs to:
| Type of Crime | Jail time | Fine | |
| Schedule W | Class D (Misdemeanor) | Up to 364 days | $2,000 |
| Schedule X | Class D (Misdemeanor) | Up to 364 days | $2,000 |
| Schedule Y | Class E (Misdemeanor) | Up to 6 months | $1,000 |
| Schedule Z | Class E (Misdemeanor) | Up to 6 months | $1,000 |
However, possession of certain drugs carries elevated penalties. Possession of any of the following drugs is a Class C felony drug charge, which comes with a fine of up to $5,000, and up to 5 years in jail:
- Hydrocodone,
- Oxycodone,
- Methamphetamine,
- Hydromorphone, also known as Dilaudid,
- Heroin, or
- Crack cocaine, if you’ve had a prior drug conviction.
While a conviction for possessing these drugs comes with higher fines and a longer jail sentence, possession of over a specific amount of certain Schedule W drugs can turn a charge from a Class D misdemeanor into a Class B felony.
Class B felonies carry fines of up to $20,000, and up to 10 years in prison. These are the Schedule W drugs, and the amounts required, that can result in these elevated penalties:
- Possession of 14 or more grams of either cocaine, or methamphetamine, or
- Possession of 4 grams or more of crack cocaine.
