The Canadian and U.S. governments have very specific rules regarding which drugs are legal, which drugs are not, and which drugs are legal only under specific conditions. The laws are as they are, and the simple fact is that most people who use drugs do so before they know the penalties for getting caught.
In Canada, a single marijuana plant could land a person six months in jail. In the U.S., if drugs are found in a defendant’s home, the entire home is at risk of being confiscated depending on the amount found. It’s hard to imagine this when hanging out, especially in a place like a party or dealer’s house, where being high seems so normal. There’s a reason that a lot of dealers become paranoid – they’re taking a lot of risk. Individuals need to realize that each person who does a drug illegally is also taking a risk.
In either case, drug addiction is more likely when drugs are around – if one lives close to or in the same house as a dealer, if family or friends use, or if drugs are part of the social scene, quitting isn’t going to be easy. It doesn’t seem like crime so much as a way of life. If this is the case, and very illegal drugs are involved, quitting can mean serious trouble with others in the social circle, and so could getting caught. There is risk every time a drug is used illegally. As occasional use turns into ‘gotta have it’ many times a day, the chances of getting busted go up. This is a worry no one should have. If using stops, so does that fear. Flashing lights in the rear view mirror won’t bring on a heart attack anymore. For many addicts, these questions don’t exist – only the drug matters. If these are questions that do cause concern personally or for someone close, get the facts and get some help as soon as possible.
Nick Hayes is a graduate of the Narconon drug rehab program in 2005. Nick takes much enjoyment in writing, and feels there needs to be more information about drugs and alcohol provided to the people of the world. He believes nobody should have to go through an addiction.