Drug addiction is a serious problem in this country, but it is often misunderstood. It is easy to think that the people who are facing this problem are unproductive, unemployed individuals who focus solely on getting the next hit. This isn’t the case. Many people who are addicted to drugs are gainfully employed. Some of them even hold professional position.
An employed person who is addicted to drugs must think about more than just the criminal penalties that they are facing. They also have to consider how any criminal charges that stem from addiction might impact their professional lives. Together, these can make life difficult, but they may provide the fuel to work on their defense strategies.
What types of criminal penalties are possible?
The exact penalties that you will face for a conviction depend on the type of drug you have and the quantity of it. For example, a person who is convicted of possession of heroin can face up to five years of incarceration, a driver’s license suspension and up to $5,000 in fines. As you can imagine, this can be hard to deal with.
For some individuals, the drug court program is going to help them to avoid some of the harsh penalties. In this program, the participants work to get sober under the court’s supervision. There are very strict requirements for drug court that not everyone will meet, so you should find out if you qualify as early as possible if you are considering taking this avenue to resolve your case.
How can drug charges impact a career?
Some employers might be willing to work with you if you have a drug addiction. They may want you to get help for the addiction, but may not terminate you. The issue comes in when your employer doesn’t allow people who have a criminal history to remain employed. There is also the matter of you losing your driver’s license, which could impact whether you are able to remain with your employer. The time you need to take off work for court hearings might also prove to be a challenge for some workplaces.
One of the best things that you can do when you are facing drug charges is to explore your defense options. This may be challenging because they all have pros and cons for you to think about. Be sure that you consider the impacts to your family, career and social life in Sarasota.
