No parent wants to get a phone call from school saying that their child tested positive for drugs. However, if it does happen you want to make sure that your child gets the medical and legal help they need to and move on with their life. The second you learn of your child’s drug charge, you will need to hire an knowledgeable Lansing criminal defense attorney to take on your child’s case.
If you suspect your child is using drugs, look for the following symptoms:
- Sudden drop in grades
- Loss of interest in activities they once enjoyed
- Poor hygiene
- Bloodshot eyes
- Laughing for no reason
- Random bouts of hunger or “munchies”
These are only just some of the many , which is why it’s important to start a conversation with your child about what is going on in their life. Below, you will find some of the ways a drug charge can negatively impact your child’s life. You might find this information helpful when talking with your child about the consequences of their behavior.
College Application
Most American college applications require you tell the truth of whether or not you have been convicted of a drug crime. This single question is enough for colleges to discriminate against your otherwise qualified child. A knowledgeable drug crimes attorney can help you understand the full legal implications of a juvenile drug charge.
While there is a current movement to get rid of this stigmatizing question on college applications, we don’t anticipate any immediate change in how colleges process potential students. If your child has hopes of attending college, we recommend you hire drug crime attorneys as soon as possible to secure the best legal outcome.
Financial Aid for College
If your child is convicted on a drug charge, they will not be eligible to receive financial aid from the government. For the vast majority of young adults, this is a devastating blow that makes the cost of college prohibitive. Many scholarships will also not consider applicants who have been convicted of a drug crime.
Job Employment
Some jobs require random drug testing. If your teenager’s drug test is positive, they can be fired from their job. Since and are also crimes, your child could face jail time.
When looking for new employment, your teenage may have to disclose their drug conviction on job applications. While employers are not supposed to discriminate against applicants with criminal histories, this doesn’t mean that it doesn’t happen. A knowledgeable drug charge attorney can inform you and your child of the consequences of drug convictions.
Suspension from Sports Team
If your child is participating in competitive extracurricular activities (such as sports), they may be subject to random drug testing according to a 2002 U.S. Supreme Court ruling. This ruling is applicable to middle and high school students.
While the law was created to make sure is caught and prevented, it can also have other consequences for your child. For example, your child may be suspended from their sports team or even kicked off the team.
If you are in need of a Lansing criminal defense lawyer to provide legal representation for your child’s drug charge, please contact our Lansing MI law firm at (517) 337-4600. At Foster & Harmon P.C., our experienced attorneys want to make sure that your child gets the best legal outcome after a drug charge.