STATE OF FLORIDA, APPELLANT,
v.
MICHAEL BAXLEY, APPELLEE
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Florida prosecuted Michael Baxley for trafficking in hydrocodone tablets. The district court held that even though individual tablets containing ≤15mg hydrocodone constitute Schedule III (third-degree felony) offenses, aggregating multiple tablets to reach 4 grams or more of hydrocodone converts the substance to Schedule II, permitting trafficking charges under Florida Statutes § 893.135.
The court held that trafficking charges are proper when 4 grams or more of hydrocodone or a mixture containing hydrocodone is involved in the transaction, regardless of whether the tablets individually meet Schedule III criteria. The court reversed the order dismissing the trafficking charges and remanded for further proceedings.
[1] A person dealing in controlled substances is subject to prosecution for trafficking if the total weight of the prohibited substance or a mixture containing it reaches the…
[2] Hydrocodone is classified as a Schedule III substance when present in small amounts in conjunction with other non-controlled ingredients, but becomes a Schedule II substa…
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligence“If the amount involved is 4 grams or more of hydrocodone or 4 grams or more of a mixture containing hydrocodone then hydrocodone becomes a SCHEDULE II substance.”
Establishes the court's core holding: aggregate weight determines schedule classification and trafficking prosecution eligibility.
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceBaxley was charged with conspiracy to traffic and trafficking in hydrocodone tablets. Each tablet contained no more than 15 milligrams of hydrocodone …
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HARRIS, Judge.
The issue in this case is whether one who deals in tablets containing controlled substance, each tablet being a SCHEDULE III substance which would represent a third degree felony, is subject to being prosecuted for trafficking in such substance if a sufficient number of the tablets are involved so that 4 grams or more of the prohibited substance is involved in the transaction. We answer in the affirmative and reverse the order dismissing the charges below.
Michael Baxley was charged with conspiracy to traffic and trafficking in hydrocodone. In order to sustain this charge under section 893.135(l)(c)l, there must be 4 grams or more of the substance or “4 grams or more of any mixture containing any such substance ...” But if a tablet contains no more than 15 milligrams of hydrocodone along with other active ingredients which are not controlled substances, then under section 893.03(3)(e)4 such tablet is a SCHEDULE III substance and, under section 893.13(l)(a), its sale, manufacture or delivery (or the possession with such intent) is a third degree felony. The State urges that even if dealing in a single tablet or a few tablets may be only a third degree felony, if enough tablets are involved so that the total weight is 4 grams or more, then a trafficking case can properly be made.
Baxley responds that since the legislature has determined that small amounts of hydrocodone in conjunction with other uncontrolled substances have less potential for abuse than SCHEDULE I or SCHEDULE II substances and have a “currently acceptable medical use,” the improper dealing with tablets that comply with section 893.03(3)(c)4 may only be prosecuted as a third degree felony. However, we believe that a proper interpretation of section 893.03(3)(c)4 makes it clear that only a small amount of hydroco-done is a SCHEDULE III substance. If the amount involved is 4 grams or more of hy-drocodone or 4 grams or more of a mixture containing hydrocodone then hydrocodone becomes a SCHEDULE II substance.
Baxley makes the point that hydrocodone is listed as both a SCHEDULE II and a SCHEDULE III substance and yet both schedules provide that it is included “unless listed in another schedule ...” We find no conflict. In fact, because hydrocodone appears in both schedules, our .interpretation of the statute is given more credence. SCHEDULE III substances include hydro-codone or hydrocodone mixtures which meet the section 89S.0S(3)(cU limitation and SCHEDULE II includes all other hydroco-done. This gives both schedules meaning. See Lareau v. State, 573 So. 2d 813 (Fla.1991) (when two conflicting or ambiguous provisions of the same legislative act were intend ed to serve the same purpose, they must be read in pari materia to ascertain the overall legislative intent and to harmonize the provisions so that the fullest effect can be given to each); Mack v. Bristol-Myers Squibb Co., 673 So. 2d 100 (Fla. 1st DCA 1996) (a law should be construed in harmony with any other statute having the same purpose; where statutes operate on the same subject without plain inconsistency or repugnancy,, if possible courts should construe them so as to preserve the force of both without destroying their evident intent).
If the number of tablets aggregates 4 grams or more of hydroeodone or a mixture of hydroeodone, then we agree with the State that prosecution is proper under section 893.135.
REVERSED AND REMANDED.
PETERSON, C.J., and ANTOON, J., concur.
Cases With Similar Vibessemantic neighbors from the corpus
Citator
Cited By (28 total)
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Kathyrn Hayes v. State, 750 So. 2d 1 (Fla. 1999)…clusions. The Fourth and Fifth Districts have concluded that it is proper to consider the aggregate weight of the tablets to determine whether the defendant can be charged with drug trafficking. See, e.g., Hayes, 720 So. 2d at 1097; State v. Baxley, 684 So. 2d 831, 832-33 (Fla. 5th DCA 1996).1 In contrast, the First and Second Districts have concluded that if the amount of hydrocodone is fifteen milligrams or less per dosage unit, as is the hydrocodone in this case, the defendant possesses a Schedule III subs…
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State v. Barnum, 921 So. 2d 513 (Fla. 2005)…recede from the principles espoused in our Klayman decision. Thus, I concur in the result only. PARIENTE, C.J., and ANSTEAD, J., concur. . See State v. Hayes, 720 So. 2d 1095 (Fla. 4th DCA 1998), quashed, 750 So. 2d 1 (Fla.1999); State v. Baxley, 684 So. 2d 831 (Fla. 5th DCA 1996). . See State v. Perry, 716 So. 2d 327 (Fla. 2d DCA 1998); State v. Holland, 689 So. 2d 1268 (Fla. 1st DCA 1997).…1 / 2
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State v. Hayes, 720 So. 2d 1095 (Fla. 4th DCA 1998)…ically, 7.5 milligrams), making it a Schedule III drug, but where the aggregate weight of all 40 tablets, each of which contained a mixture of hydro-codone and acetaminophen, was more than 28 grams, making it a Schedule II drug. In State v. Baxley, 684 So. 2d 831 (Fla. 5th DCA 1996), rev. denied, 694 So. 2d 737 (Fla.1997), the Fifth District answered that question in the affirmative holding that “[i]f the number of tablets aggregates 4 grams or more of hydrocodone or a mixture of hydro-codone, then ... prose…
Previewing 3 of 28 citing cases — full citator treatment, depth of discussion, and citing context are member features.
Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceAuthorities Cited
- Hervey Lareau v. State, 573 So. 2d 813 (Fla. 1991)
- Mack v. Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. & Mead Johnson & Co., 673 So. 2d 100 (Fla. 1st DCA 1996)