Living with an addiction can turn anyone’s life upside down. Try as a person might, it is immensely difficult to break free from the binding nature of drug addiction, and often, it can result in individuals acting in ways that are not good for themselves or those around them. You may have a loved one who suffers from a drug addiction, and understandably, you are concerned about his or her future.
Various substances can alter the way a person thinks and behaves, and even if a person does not have drugs in his or her system, the desire to obtain the substance could cause troubling behaviors. Often, these behaviors can lead to criminal charges.
What trouble could your loved one face?
Unfortunately, because drug addiction takes over a person’s life, your loved one could wind up in a number of difficult predicaments. Some common situations that could result in your loved one facing trouble with the law include the following:
- Charges resulting from aggressive behaviors brought on by drug use or withdrawal
- Charges relating to drug possession or distribution
- Charges associated with substance abuse-driven actions, like stealing money or property in hopes of obtaining funds to buy drugs
- Charges stemming from driving under the influence of drugs
- Charges connecting to association with drug dealers or similar offenders
Any of these allegations could result in your loved one facing a serious predicament that could lead to hefty consequences in the event of a conviction.
What consequences could result?
The exact penalties that your loved one could face would depend on the exact charges brought against him or her and the details of the criminal case. However, in many cases, the following consequences result:
- Monetary expenses associated with legal fees, including court fees, and significant fines
- Prison time
- Mandatory addiction treatment
- Marks on criminal records that could lead to difficulty obtaining employment in the future
- Parole or probation
If your loved one has a serious addiction and has recently ended up facing legal trouble, you may want to help. If so, gaining information on his or her legal options and encouraging your loved one to get legal help from a Massachusetts professional may be useful. In the end, your loved one will have to make important decisions regarding his or her future, but taking the right approach to defend against drug charges could go a long way in helping the situation.
