“How Did My Vape Pen Land Me a Felony Charge?” And Other THC Related Questions

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The advent and mainstream use of CBD products, changes in the legislature and Travis Scott have normalized marijuana usage and desensitized Texas high schoolers and young adults to the criminal consequences of some products. Gummies, wax, and vape pens aren’t your parents’ blunts or joints. And partly the reason you were charged with a felony when you were arrested in Montgomery County with your vape pen. But, why is that really?

A vape pen is a compact, on-the go vaporizer that resembles a pen. Otherwise known as a dab pen, wax pen, or vaporizer, it uses cartridges to produce a vapor from an oil that can be inhaled by users. Cartridges can contain nicotine, CBD or THC oils. THC oil contains tetrahydrocannabinol, which is a Penalty Group 2 substance.

Montgomery County Probation Isn’t Cancelled Amongst COVID-19

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Court dates in Montgomery County have largely been rescheduled or cancelled due to the Coronavirus. Judges are adapting by using video conferencing applications such as Zoom to address issues related to bond and to take pleas, but downtown Conroe, despite its sizable essential employee status, is a ghost town. This comes as no surprise as Montgomery County Judge Mark Keough extends his stay-at-home order and families cancel birthdays, showers, family reunions, and vacations and replace their party hats with their teacher hats as schools cancel as well. What hasn’t been cancelled though, is Montgomery County probation. Drug testing through Averhealth too has not been cancelled.

Why does that matter? Approximately 60% of criminal cases result in some sort of community supervision. In 2018, the Prison Policy Initiative counted 4.5 million adults per year in the United States on community supervision. About half of the population in county jails are individuals who have violated the conditions of their release. That’s approximately 350,000 people each year who are jailed for revocations. You’re likely to see a spike in that number as people become more desperate from layoffs, isolation, and pressure from dealing with the consequences of COVID-19 rises. Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office has already reported a 35% spike in assault calls.