Whether you have a history of conflict with the law or have always been a hardworking, law-abiding citizen, once you fall victim to addiction, legal issues will almost certainly follow. More than half of Americans arrested test positive for illegal drugs. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, drug abuse is linked to theft, property crimes, domestic violence, and sexual offenses, among others. During treatment – 3 months after the start of the study – in people with legal problems, 34% of their toxin tests were negative for cocaine (if a participant misses a toxic test, they are counted as cocaine use), compared with 44% in people without legal problems, a statistically significant difference. Most states have also enacted laws to protect people with disabilities (or “disabled”). And some state laws protect people with substance use disorders. Each state`s law is different, and a treatment provider seeking help under state law must contact the state or local authority responsible for enforcing the state`s civil rights laws. Federal regulations allow programs to disclose client information if they do not disclose personally identifiable information. A program can only disclose client information if it does not identify them as alcoholics or drug addicts or allow for identification as such by others. There`s no denying the risks of teen substance use and how bleak the road can be. Crime and drug addiction are often closely linked.

The U.S. Department of Justice found that 70 percent of state prisoners and 64 percent of federal prisoners regularly used drugs before incarceration. The majority of these inmates tested positive for illicit drugs at the time of arrest and are more likely to re-enter substance abuse upon release from prison. If your drug use gets out of control or causes problems, seek help. The sooner you seek help, the more likely you are to recover in the long run. Talk to your primary care doctor or see a psychiatrist, such as a doctor who specializes in addiction or addiction psychiatry, or a licensed alcohol and drug counselor. Clients in addiction treatment often have no perspective on the world of work. For many, there is a huge gap between jobs with status (professional or highly visible) and jobs they believe have no status (e.g., fast food, other service jobs).

Advisors can help clients understand and accept that there are many discrete jobs that provide livelihoods and happiness for millions of people. They can help clients develop realistic plans that can start from the bottom to achieve a desirable goal. Such plans could include finding a training program that would lead to a good job. This type of counselling is becoming increasingly important as the many aspects of social reform are implemented. People who no longer use illicit drugs and who have attended or participated in a drug rehabilitation program are protected from discrimination to the same extent as alcoholics (29 U.S.C. §706(8)(C)(ii) and 42 U.S.C. §12210(b)). In other words, they are protected as long as they are “qualified” for the program, activity or service and do not pose a “direct threat” to the health or safety of others.

Service providers may conduct drug testing to ensure that a person who previously used illicit drugs no longer does so (28 CFR §36.209(c) and 28 CFR §35.131(c)). For example, if an applicant for vocational training claims that he or she has stopped using illicit drugs and has undergone rehabilitation, the training program could conduct drug testing to determine that he or she is no longer using illicit drugs. Specific treatment for substance abuse or addiction is determined by your doctor based on the following factors: Can the program give a warning without exposing the client`s substance abuse disorder? In the case of a program that is part of a larger non-drug treatment facility, this can be achieved by issuing a warning on behalf of the larger facility. For example, a counsellor employed by an alcohol treatment program that is part of a general hospital might call the employer in question, identify herself as a “counsellor at New City General Hospital” and explain that John Smith (the client) is unable to work. (The counsellor cannot mention that the employee has a substance abuse problem or is impaired by drugs or alcohol.) This type of warning would convey vital information without identifying the client as someone in addiction treatment. Counsellors in stand-alone alcohol or drug programs cannot give the name of the program, but can give the employer a warning without identifying themselves (often referred to as an “anonymous” warning). (This “identification of non-patients” exception is explained in more detail below.) If you are caught using, trafficking or intending to sell drugs, you could be arrested and face jail time. The Center for Addiction shows that 1.5 million inmates “meet the DSM-IV medical criteria for substance abuse or substance abuse, and another 458,000, although they do not meet the strict DSM-IV criteria, had a history of substance abuse; were under the influence of alcohol or other drugs at the time of their offence; committed their crime in order to obtain money for the purchase of drugs; have been imprisoned for violating the Alcohol or Drugs Act; or shared a combination of these characteristics. 1 If the threat is serious and disclosure of the client`s substance abuse disorder cannot be avoided, determine how the program aims to alert an employer without violating federal confidentiality rules. Is there a declaration of consent? In the case of a client in a safety-sensitive position, the program should have a consent form that allows it to notify the employer or training program of a relapse that poses a threat to others. This may be easier to obtain from a client who has been referred by an employer or whose professional program knows they are undergoing addiction treatment. Even in this case, the customer can revoke his consent.

People who currently use illegal drugs have no protection from discrimination in the workplace, even if they are “qualified” and do not pose a “direct threat” to others in the workplace (29 U.S.C. §706(8)(C)(i) and 42 U.S.C. §12210(a)). Cultural and societal factors determine which forms of drug or alcohol use are acceptable or permissible. Public laws determine what type of drug use is legal or illegal. The question of what type of substance use can be considered normal or acceptable remains controversial. Substance abuse and addiction are caused by several factors, including genetic vulnerability, environmental stressors, social pressure, individual personality traits, and psychiatric problems. However, which of these factors has the greatest influence on a person can not be determined in all cases. The symptoms of drug or alcohol abuse can be similar to other medical problems or psychiatric illnesses. Always consult your doctor for a diagnosis.

It is illegal to be in possession of illegal drugs, but it is a much more serious crime to drive under the influence of alcohol. Drug or alcohol use slows function in the brain, distorts your vision and inhibits your reaction time. These effects significantly increase your risk of having a car accident that injures yourself or others. Every minute, someone is injured in an alcohol-related accident, reports Mothers Against Drunk Driving. There are obvious differences between the “verbal threat” and the threat that a relapse can represent: Since the client does not intend to hurt anyone in the exercise program or at work, it is not clear that their participation in the exercise program or work while intoxicated or “stoned” will actually cause physical harm to others. There are circumstances where people are in safety-related positions, such as pilots, medical staff and child care workers, where harm to others can be an issue. However, there are still workers in such occupations whose performance does not appear to be affected by substance use. And unlike the verbal threat scenario, the possible consequences are not so clear. The primary purpose of privacy policies is to allow customers (not the provider) to determine when and to whom information is shared. Some may view these laws and regulations as a nuisance or a barrier to achieving program objectives. Most of the troublesome problems that may arise under federal laws and regulations can be avoided through forward planning. Familiarity with the rules facilitates communication.

It can also reduce confidentiality conflicts between the program, the client and the external agency or individual in some relatively rare situations. In 1996, Congress passed a major overhaul of social assistance called the Reconciling Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunities Act. He transformed the AFDC (Aid for Families with Dependent Children) program, which “entitled” needy people with dependent children to help, into Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), a program that provides limited assistance.