{"id":377072,"date":"2016-03-31T21:37:12","date_gmt":"2016-04-01T02:37:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/state\/washington-law\/washington-cocaine-laws.html"},"modified":"2024-11-04T10:46:49","modified_gmt":"2024-11-04T15:46:49","slug":"washington-cocaine-laws","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/state\/washington-law\/washington-cocaine-laws.html","title":{"rendered":"Washington Cocaine Laws"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Washington Cocaine Laws<\/h1>\n
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\n By Susan Buckner, J.D.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by FindLaw Staff<\/a>\n | Last updated\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Fact-Checked\n <\/summary>\n\n
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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n

Washington State updated its controlled substances laws to treat casual drug use and simple possession with less harshness than for possession for sale or distribution. The new law, known as the \u201cBlake fix<\/a>,\u201d corrected an error in the state\u2019s strict liability drug possession law. The current law went into effect in May of 2023. It applies to all controlled substances, including cocaine.<\/p>\r\n

The Washington State Supreme Court<\/a> held that the original statute made unknowing possession of a controlled substance a felony. The law did not require proof of knowledge or intent to convict. In State v. Blake, <\/b><\/i>the State Supreme Court found this was unconstitutional and ordered the Washington legislature to correct the statute. A special session passed SB 5536<\/a> in May 2023.<\/p>\r\n

Washington Cocaine Laws<\/b><\/h2>\r\n

Washington\u2019s controlled substances laws mirror the federal drug scheduling laws. The law classifies drugs according to their medical use, risk of addiction, and safety. Cocaine is a Schedule II drug because it has some medical uses despite its high risk of abuse. By comparison, heroin is a Schedule I drug since it has no medical use.<\/p>\r\n

Under the new laws, simple possession of cocaine for personal use is a gross misdemeanor<\/a>. Prosecutors and law enforcement are encouraged to divert cases to treatment programs if available. Knowing possession or use of cocaine in a public place may result in criminal penalties of:<\/p>\r\n