The case of journalist Ivan Golunov has drawn attention to the work of law enforcement agencies and the judicial system in combating drug trafficking. Kommersant studied in detail the main anti-drug article of the Criminal Code - 228: what it is about and how it is applied in practice.
- Article 228 provides for punishment for the illegal acquisition, storage, transportation, manufacture, processing of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances or their analogues, as well as plants or their parts containing these substances (hereinafter referred to as narcotic drugs).
- Article 228.1 (Ivan Golunov was charged with it) - for the production, sale or transfer of narcotic drugs.
- Article 228.2 - for violating the rules of drug trafficking.
- Article 228.3 and 228.4 - for the illegal acquisition, storage, transportation, production, sale or transfer of drug precursors (that is, substances used to manufacture drugs).
In addition to Article 228 with all its parts, penalties related to drug trafficking are contained in Articles 229–233 of the Criminal Code. The Code of Administrative Offenses also provides for administrative penalties for drug-related crimes. In particular, illicit trafficking in narcotic and psychotropic substances (Article 6.8 of the Administrative Code), propaganda of narcotic drugs (6.13), consumption in public places (20.20).
What punishment does violators face?
For the acquisition, storage, and manufacture of narcotic drugs without the purpose of sale (Article 228), the following punishment is provided (depending on the size of the seized substances):
| Deprivation of liberty | Additionally | |
| To a significant extent | up to 3 years* | fine up to 40 thousand rubles, compulsory / corrective labor, restriction of freedom up to 3 years |
| Large size | from 3 to 10 years | fine up to 500 thousand rubles, restriction of freedom up to 1 year |
| In a particularly large size | from 10 to 15 years | fine up to 500 thousand rubles, restriction of freedom up to 1.5 years |
*in this case, imprisonment is not mandatory, but only one of the possible punishments
For the illegal production and sale of drugs (Article 228.1), the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation provides for imprisonment for up to 20 years, in exceptional cases up to life imprisonment.
| What is the sentence for violators under Art. 228.1 | Deprivation of liberty |
| Without aggravating circumstances | from 4 to 8 years |
| Sales in pre-trial detention centers, administrative buildings, sports, educational and transport facilities, through the media and the Internet | from 5 to 12 years |
| By a group of persons by prior conspiracy, in a significant amount | from 8 to 15 years |
| By an organized group, on a large scale, using official position, to a minor | from 10 to 20 years |
| In a particularly large size | from 15 to 20 years, for life |
Additionally, it is possible to impose a fine of up to 1 million rubles, restriction of freedom, deprivation of the right to hold certain positions or engage in certain activities.
The Criminal Code provides for exemption from criminal liability for the illegal acquisition, storage, transportation, manufacture and processing of drugs or precursors for persons who voluntarily surrendered these substances and actively contributed to the disclosure or suppression of crimes related to drug trafficking, the exposure of those who committed them, and the detection property obtained by criminal means. Illegal production and sale of narcotic substances or precursors (Articles 228.1 and 228.4) do not provide for exemption from liability.
How is the size of drugs determined?
Significant, large and especially large sizes of narcotic substances and plants containing narcotic substances are approved by government decree No. 1002 of October 1, 2012.
For example, N-methylephedron and its derivatives, the sale of which Ivan Golunov was accused of selling, in large quantities corresponds to more than 1 g of the substance.
Determination of the size of illegal drugs during criminal prosecution (grams over)
| Significant | Large | Extra large | |
| Cocaine | 0,5 | 5 | 1500 |
| Heroin | 0,5 | 2,5 | 1000 |
| Amphetamine and its derivatives | 0,2 | 1 | 200 |
| Methamphetamine | 0,3 | 2,5 | 500 |
| Hashish (anasha, cannabis resin) | 2 | 25 | 10 000 |
| Cannabis (marijuana) | 6 | 100 | 100 000 |
| Cactus containing mescaline | 50 | 250 | 25 000 |
| Coca bush (plant of the genus Erythroxylon) | 20 | 250 | 20 000 |
| Hemp (plant of the genus Cannabis) | 6 | 100 | 100 000 |
According to a study by the Institute for Law Enforcement Problems, “Map of Drug Crimes in the Russian Federation,” as of 2014, the most frequently seized drugs by law enforcement are cannabinoids, heroin and amphetamines.
What do judicial statistics say?
According to the Judicial Department of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation, every seventh sentence in the Russian Federation is passed under Article 228 . Thus, in 2022, 658.3 thousand people were convicted under all elements of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, of which Article 228 with all its parts accounted for 13.4% of all sentences. For comparison: a year earlier the share was 14.3% (total number of convicts - 697 thousand), in 2014 - 15.2% (out of 719.3 thousand). If we take all drug-related charges, then a quarter of all prisoners are imprisoned under them.
The most widespread is Article 228 (acquisition and possession without the purpose of distribution), which in 2022 accounted for 79% of all sentences (69.6 thousand). Drug sales (228.1) account for 21% of convictions.
The majority of those convicted are young people (age group from 18 to 29 years).
The most common sentence for drug-related crimes is imprisonment for 3-5 years. At the same time, only 0.3% of criminal cases are released from punishment .
Art. 72.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation gives the court the opportunity to oblige the convicted person to undergo drug addiction treatment (if the main punishment is not related to imprisonment). In Art. 82.1 provides for the opportunity for a person sentenced to a real term to voluntarily undergo treatment for drug addiction with a deferred sentence.
The best grass scythes
Author of the question: Gerasimova K. Created: 02/19/22
Rating of gasoline trimmers 2022: the best lawn mowers (top 6)
- Reliable petrol grass trimmer STIHL FS 38
- High-quality and inexpensive trimmer Denzel GT-330
- Premium brush cutter Makita EBH341U
- Gasoline trimmer selection options
- Lightweight CHAMPION T523
- Performance Husqvarna 143R-II with two-stroke engine
- Fubag FPT 43 for weeds and thick grass
- Conclusion
Answered by: Denisov M. 02/19/22
Features of law enforcement
The 2022 report by the Institute for Law Enforcement Problems, “Drug Crimes in Russia: Analysis of Judicial and Criminal Statistics,” notes that consumers in Russia are persecuted more often than distributors . The authors identified “artificial distortion of the masses of seized drugs by law enforcement agencies.” “The quantities of marijuana and hashish most often seized from drug users are just sufficient to qualify the offense as a criminal offense, and these quantities do not significantly exceed the significant amount required to initiate a criminal case,” the report says.
Alexey Knorre, “Drug crimes in Russia: analysis of judicial and criminal statistics”
Researchers call a separate problem the fact that “law enforcement officers understand a drug not as a pure narcotic substance found in a mixture, but as the entire mixture.
According to Alexei Knorre, an expert at the Institute of Law Enforcement Problems of the European University, there are no official statistics on bringing law enforcement officers to justice for falsifying drug cases. However, content analysis of the media over the past 5 years has revealed approximately 500 cases in which a law enforcement officer was detained, arrested, or convicted of drug-related fraud.
A gram of grass: how much is it? Visual assessment of the amount of marijuana
https://t.me/cannatime
If you ever buy marijuana in the US, you'll want to know what a gram of weed looks like by eye. Scale is the obvious way to evaluate. However, you won't always have an understanding of scale. So it's always good to be able to visually judge the difference between 1 gram of weed and ⅛ ounce.
Convert ounces to grams
First, you need to learn how to convert from grams to ounces. Fractions ⅛ (eight), ¼ (quarter) and ½ (half) are measurements in relation to a full ounce. These are the basic numbers you need to know when purchasing different quantities of marijuana in the US:
Eight: 3.5 grams
Quarter: 7 grams
Half: 14 grams
Ounce: 28 grams
Gram of grass
Some buds are fresh, unpressed and fluffy, while others are compact, dense and compressed. As a result, two inflorescences, different in size, may turn out to be the same weight.
To help you visually understand what a gram of weed represents, we got our hands on a couple of buds from Slo Grown Genetics that weren't too dense or too fluffy to weigh. We then weighed the major quantities available at company booths during the Southern California Hemp Cup.
This is what a gram looks like.
Compare this to the photos of ⅛, ¼, ½ and ounce. A gram of weed should look like it could be rolled into a joint that you could share with someone else.
One eighth ounce
In the USA this amount is called eight and it is equal to 3.5 grams. To help you understand the difference between 1 gram of weed and ⅛ ounce - one eighth should be enough to smoke several times.
Here's a photo of an eighth of the same grass at the same scale for comparison.
One quarter ounce
A quarter in the US is called a quarter or “Q”. A quarter ounce in grams is 7 grams. Once you visually understand what 1 gram and one eighth is, you can roughly imagine a quarter. A quarter ounce is twice the size of a ⅛, so it should look twice the size.
This is what a quarter ounce of the same variety looks like on the same scale.
Half ounce
A half ounce, or simply half, is the largest amount of marijuana you will see for sale in the United States other than an ounce. Half an ounce is equal to 14 grams in the metric system.
Take a look at the half ounce in the photo to get an idea of what you should expect compared to other quantities.
Ounce
An ounce is 28 grams of weed. It will be easier to judge an ounce by eye when you have an idea of what ⅛, ¼ and ½ ounces visually look like.
Here's what an ounce of these same buds looks like, at the same scale with the other photos.
Now that you've seen the different amounts of marijuana compared to each other, you should have a good idea of how to roughly determine the amount of marijuana with the naked eye, especially if you're in the US. As mentioned earlier, some varieties have a fluffier appearance than others, while some are dense and heavy despite their smaller size. Knowing how to visually tell the difference between each quantity is enough to ensure that you don't pay for a quarter and get an eighth. However, you will need a scale to ensure that you are not cheated by a small amount that is difficult to determine by eye.
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