Police in Belvidere say that they arrested an accused a man of drug crimes in a recent narcotics bust. Authorities say that they made a routine traffic stop at the Belvidere Oasis last Sunday, and it later led to the arrest.

The police officer who pulled the man over happened to be a Boone County Sheriff's Department K-9 unit. Shortly after conducting the traffic stop, the sheriff's deputy called for backup from Belvidere/Boone County Metro Narcotics officers. The narcotics officers arrived and assisted with a search and seizure operation.

Police say that the search and seizure produced approximately 190 grams of cocaine, approximately 45 grams of heroin and an unspecified amount of cash. The arrested and accused driver, a 38-year-old man who hails from Madison, has been charged with various drug crimes. These include unlawful possession of drugs with the intent to deliver, which is a Class X felony and punishable with six to 30 years of prison upon conviction. He was also charged with two counts of unlawful possession of drugs, which is a Class 1 felony and punishable with four to 15 years in prison upon conviction.

A Wednesday, May 2 traffic stop of a vehicle that was apparently displaying an illegible rear license plate resulted in both the driver and his passenger's arrest. The routine traffic stop was conducted by an officer with the Waukesha Police Department shortly after 4 p.m. at the intersection of E. St. Paul Ave. and Maria St.

An incident report in the matter reflects that officer conducting the stop noticed that the temporary license plate that the car was displaying was illegible as he passed through an area he was patrolling. The driver apparently pulled over when requested to do so by the officer, but reportedly produced an invalid driver's license when he was asked to provide one.

It's unclear how the stop for the illegible license plate and driving permit evolved, but ultimately, the driver of that vehicle was arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia.

The federal government classifies controlled substances into five different schedules with Schedule I having the most severe criminal consequences attached to them and Schedule V having the least severe consequences. Familiarizing yourself with the following drug schedules is important if you've been accused of a drug crime or if you want to avoid getting in trouble with the law for a drug crime.

Schedule V: This category of drugs includes those that the federal government believes are the least dangerous in terms of their propensity for abuse, addiction and potentially damaging effects. They include: Parepectolin, Lyrica, Lomotil and Motofen.

Schedule IV: This category is believed to be slightly more dangerous than Schedule V. They include Darvon, Soma, Xanax, Valium, Ambien and others.

Drug addiction is a mental and emotional illness, just as much as it can be a crime. Fortunately, more and more states are beginning to treat the mental health issues that cause drug offenses rather than simply sending people to jail.

Through alternative drug treatment techniques called Treatment Alternatives and Diversion (TAD) programs, states across the country -- including Wisconsin -- have helped many nonviolent drug offenders get the help they need through voluntary substance abuse treatment as an alternative to prison or jail sentences.

TAD programs in different Wisconsin counties

Politicians in Wisconsin have shown signs of supporting legal marijuana. For example, a high percentage of Democratic gubernatorial hopefuls have recently come out in support of legal marijuana. Also, the Wisconsin legislature may place a ban on marijuana testing by employers.

Perhaps the fact that politicians are supporting legal pot is a reflection of a 2016 poll revealing that 59 percent of Wisconsin residents support legalizing marijuana. If current trends continue, it's likely the more residents will accept and support legalizing the recreational use of

marijuana as the years go by.