Massachusetts Cocaine Laws
By Samuel Strom, J.D. | Legally reviewed by FindLaw Staff | Last reviewed October 29, 2024
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The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, especially the Port of Boston, has always been a hub of shipping traffic. Not all of it has been legal. Cocaine was the Bay State’s major drug threat through much of the 1990s. Today, cocaine (powder and crack cocaine) is the second greatest drug threat in Massachusetts, behind opioids and opiates.
Possessing, selling, or trafficking cocaine can bring severe penalties in Massachusetts. Federal law also imposes stiff penalties for cocaine-related offenses. Federal drug laws prohibit everything from simple cocaine possession, manufacturing and cultivation, and trafficking and distribution.
Drug crime convictions can carry severe penalties, especially for cocaine. The penalties vary depending on the amount and type of drugs involved and whether the defendant has prior drug convictions in their criminal history.
This article summarizes Massachusetts laws and criminal penalties for cocaine-related offenses. It begins with a brief explanation of Massachusetts’ classification of controlled substances. A table separating the state’s drug laws by category follows. The article concludes with a list of related resources.
Massachusetts Drug Classifications
Massachusetts classifies controlled substances into one of five classes. Under Massachusetts law, cocaine is a Class B controlled substance. Class B substances have a high potential for abuse and dependence. They also have accepted medical uses in the United States.
Examples of classified substances in Massachusetts include the following:
- Class A Substances: ketamine and over 70 opiates and opioids like heroin and fentanyl
- Class B Substances: cocaine, ecstasy, LSD, and methamphetamine
- Class C Substances: mescaline, peyote, and psilocybin
- Class D Substances: barbital, butyl nitrate, and marijuana
- Class E Substances: any prescription drugs not listed in Classes A through D (e.g., Oxycodone (OxyContin))
Massachusetts drug classifications differ in name from the federal schedule but otherwise are similar. Drugs with high addiction rates and no medical use are considered the most dangerous.
Cocaine Statutes in Massachusetts
The table below lists Massachusetts’ cocaine laws and criminal penalties. For more information, visit FindLaw’s Drug Charges section.
Massachusetts Cocaine Law Code Statutes |
Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 94C (Controlled Substances Act):
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Massachusetts Drug Possession Crimes |
Possessing cocaine with knowledge and intent is a crime (Section 34).
If the offender has a prior conviction under Section 34 or a prior felony conviction under Chapter 94:
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Possession with Intent to Distribute |
A person possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute, dispense, or manufacture it faces the following criminal penalties:
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Massachusetts Cocaine Trafficking Penalties |
Any person who traffics cocaine by manufacturing, distributing, dispensing, or possessing it with the intent to distribute it or by bringing it into the state of Massachusetts is guilty of a crime. Violators face the following penalties based on the amount involved in the offense (Section 32E):
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Massachusetts Related Crimes |
Possessing or purchasing with the intent to sell drug paraphernalia, knowing that a person will use it to plant, cultivate, grow, produce, prepare, store, ingest, inhale, or otherwise introduce cocaine into their body, is a crime. Penalties include:
Violating Section 32 or Section 32I while in, on, or within 300 feet of a school between 5:00 a.m. and midnight or within 100 feet of a public park or playground and also engaging in the following is a crime:
Violators face the following:
Knowingly causing, inducing, or abetting a person who is under the age of 18 to distribute, dispense, or possess with the intent to distribute or dispense a controlled substance is a crime. Penalties include:
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Note: State laws change often. To confirm current Massachusetts laws, contact a Massachusetts drug crime lawyer or a criminal defense lawyer.
Massachusetts Cocaine Laws: Related Resources
Browse the articles listed below for more information about Massachusetts’ drug laws and more general information about illegal drugs:
- Massachusetts Law
- Massachusetts Criminal Law
- Massachusetts Criminal Statute of Limitations Laws
- Massachusetts Heroin, Opiates, and Opioids Laws
- Massachusetts Drug Possession Laws
- Drug Trafficking and Distribution
- Drug Cultivation and Manufacturing
- Drug Possession Penalties and Sentencing
- Drug Possession Overview
- Drug Charges
- State Cocaine Laws
- State Heroin Laws
- State Marijuana Laws
In addition, visit the Massachusetts Court System’s website for information about drug courts.
Charged With a Drug Crime in Massachusetts? Contact an Attorney
If you face criminal charges for a drug offense in Massachusetts, contact a drug law or criminal defense attorney near you. Depending on the amount of drugs involved in the offense, you could face many years in prison and thousands of dollars in fines. An experienced attorney can provide specific legal defenses to drug trafficking or other charge.
Can I Solve This on My Own or Do I Need an Attorney?
- Complex drug crimes usually require a lawyer
- Experienced drug crime lawyers can seek to reduce or eliminate criminal penalties
- Drug crime laws involve many specifics that can quickly change a case
Get tailored legal advice and ask a lawyer questions. Many Massachusetts attorneys offer free consultations for Drug Crime.
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