What I said was that the 3 strikes law only comes into affect if you have a violent felony. After that all felonies can come into play, not just violent. As long as you don't have serious violent felonies on your record, you don't have to worry about the 3 strikes law. If you get even one violent felony however then you can fall under this rule. Like put it this way, you only qualify for the the 3 strikes if you have a violent felony charge on your record in CA. If you don't, you don't have to worry about it. I don't know all the technicalities surrounding the law in terms of 1 violent/ 2 drug charges or 2 drug charges and 1 violent, and I think the law is unfair as people have been sentenced to serious time over something petty like stealing, but what I'm trying to say is it only applies if you have a serious violent charge on your record. Like I remember, one time when I was in county for a brief period, there was this mexican dude who was looking at serious time because he already had an armed robbery charge and a domestic violence charge previously, and was at the time in county awaiting court for distributing crack. Due to his armed robbery charge, he fell under the statute for the 3 strikes law, with the last charge for selling crack being his 3rd strike. If his previous charges (armed robbery and domestic), were not violent offenses, he probably would not have been looking at the 25 to life for selling rocks. It's confusing and all the little loop holes are a bitch, and I do totally agree that it is an unfair law which needs to be revised, but it only comes into play if you have a violent felony on your record. If you don't your ok. So to answer your question, yes a drug felony could put you away for life if you already have violent charges on your record.
And yes alteknj, possession of a CDS is a felony in CA. Regardless if its one bag of dope or ten. Marijuana is another story and is basically legal here, and the worst that can happen from a marijuana possession charge is a $100 ticket (thats if the cops a real dick, most will just take your herb away, if that, and let you go). All other drugs though, regardless of the amount, your looking at felony possession charge unless the cop is feeling nice that day and decides to throw your shit down the gutter (which has happened to many people i know, unfortunately I haven't been that lucky yet)