Drug-related crimes are among the most common charges in the American legal system. If you're facing accusations of usage, possession, or trafficking, it's important to respond to the situation as a drug crime lawyer would. Anyone charged with a drug offense should consider these four tips.

Say as Little as Possible

Admitting to anything can be used against you in court. Worse, even an admission that is later contradicted by different facts can still be used against you. For example, a judge might still allow charges to go forward against someone whose white powder turned out to be sugar and not cocaine.

It's important to invoke your right to remain silent when refusing to speak with the police or a prosecutor. Tell anyone asking you about the case that you need to have a drug crime attorney present before you'll discuss anything. If you make the mistake of talking, simply invoke your right to remain silent and wait until your lawyer appears.

Don't Dispose of Anything That Seems Incriminating

Even if someone hasn't committed a crime, it's natural to fear that certain bits of evidence might look incriminating. However, it's almost always better to have to explain why something is innocent rather than trying to explain why you threw it in the garbage.

There are cases where people end up eating obstruction of justice charges even though the original ones didn't stick. Don't commit a process crime while trying to find cover against another charge. Let your drug crime lawyer figure out what to say about any evidence that might come to court.

Collect Supporting Evidence

If you have a credible reason for possessing drugs, make sure you can document it. Suppose your doctor prescribed pills for pain relief. Find the prescription and make a copy of it. This may be able to cast doubt on the claims that your use of the drug was illicit.

Don't Attempt to Fix Things Yourself

Another common temptation is to attempt to fix misunderstandings. If a relative called the cops on you, for example, you might feel like you can appeal to a family member to change what they said.

Don't do this. A drug crime attorney can review such claims and decide whether it's worth discussing them with whoever made them.

Leave any conversations about the charges with friends, family members, or witnesses to your lawyer. If someone asks you about the case, simply tell them you can't talk about an ongoing criminal investigation.

Call a drug crime attorney, such as Giancola-Durkin, P.A., for help with your case.