Utah Schools and Other Drug Free Zones

Utah teenagers who have made the unfortunate choice of getting mixed up with drugs should not make a bigger mistake by bringing and sharing drugs near schools or other drug free zones. Although the penalties for drug charges as a whole are starting to relax by not criminalizing drugs as aggressively as violent crimes, they are still actively discouraging them near drug free zones.

Drug Free Zones

Drug free zones are areas where law enforcement wish to deter drug dealers from frequenting due to the probability that young children will be in proximity. The According to Utah Code 58-37-8, drug free zones include areas in and near:

• Schools
• Preschools
• Daycares
• Public parks
• Amusement parks
• Rec centers
• Churches
• Libraries

58-37-8 also states drug free zones include when “in the presence of a person younger than 18 years of age, regardless of where the act occurs […]” Drug free zones previously included areas within 1,000 feet day or night of a prohibited facility, however drug free zones now have been minimized to within 100 feet and only when the prohibited location, such as a school, is open to the public.

Penalties for arrests in drug free zones

In the past, mere possession of drugs in a drug free zone would raise penalties of those arrested. An amendment to this focuses more on the distribution of drugs. If teens take drugs to school with the quantity and/or intent of distributing, or even if they leave a large quantity in their car in the parking lot, they may face charges far greater than if they were off campus. For more information on the recent changes to drug laws or for counsel regarding drug charges for teens in drug free zones, contact a juvenile defense attorney.