Created by FindLaw's team of legal writers and editors | Last updated June 20, 2016
Heroin is a powerful opium-derived narcotic drug with a high potential for abuse, illegal in all states and under federal law. Federal and state heroin laws all classify the drug at the highest ranking (schedule I), which means violations typically carry the stiffest penalties.
Even simple possession of a tiny amount of heroin can lead to prison time in many states, although more and more states have adopted a "harm reduction" approach that employs drug treatment instead of prison. For example, a number of states have "drug courts" that provide treatment options for habitual users instead of incarceration. Dealers and traffickers of the drug face the most severe penalties under most state heroin laws.
Alaska offers drug court options for nonviolent offenders who request drug treatment, but may impose sentences of up to five years (and/or a fine of up to $50,000) for the possession of any amount of heroin (a Class C felony). Dealing any amount of the drug is charged as a Class B felony, punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Selling to a minor can result in a virtual life sentence (up to 99 years). See the Anchorage Wellness Felony Drug Court Web site to learn more about drug court in Alaska.
Additional details of Alaska's heroin laws are listed in the table below. See FindLaw's Drug Charges section to learn more.
| Code Section | 11.71.010, et seq. |
| Possession | Possession of any amount: Class C felony (up to 5 yrs. and/or up to $50,000) |
| Sale | Sale to anyone under 19 at least 3 yrs. younger than seller: unclassified felony (5 - 99 yrs. and/or fine of up to $500,000); Sale of heroin in general: Class A felony (up to 20 yrs. and/or fine of up to $250,000) |
| Trafficking | Participation in "continuing criminal enterprise": unclassified felony (5 - 99 yrs. and/or fine of up to $500,000) |
| Is Drug Court an Option? | Yes. Alaska "Wellness Courts" offer drug rehabilitation without incarceration in exchange for a guilty plea and regular monitoring. |
Note: State laws are subject to change through the enactment of newly signed legislation, binding case law, and other means. You may wan to contact an Alaska drug crime attorney or conduct your own legal research to verify the state law(s) you are researching.
Contact a qualified attorney.
Get tailored legal advice and ask a lawyer questions. Many Alaska attorneys offer free consultations for Drug Crime.