The first step in educating your child and providing assistance if he or she gets in trouble is knowing about the issue. It is important to understand the prevalence of substance use and abuse among college students. The following data from the National Institute on Drug Abuse gives vital insight on this widespread problem.

Alcohol use

According to government findings, heavy alcohol consumption is more prevalent in college students than young adults who do not pursue a higher education. College students binge drink and get drunk more than their non-college peers.

Marijuana use

The access college students have to illegal substances is a growing concern. Daily use of cannabis is at its highest rate since the 1980s. This is a problem among young adults as a whole, not just college students. Nearly 5 percent of college students and nearly 13 percent of non-college young adults report using marijuana daily.

Amphetamine

Some prescription medications, such as Adderall and Ritalin, contain amphetamine, which can be helpful. However, there is a higher rate of misuse among college students. For example, nearly 10 percent of college students report using Adderall in the last year in comparison to 6.2 percent of non-college respondents.

If your son or daughter uses illicit substances, drives while impaired or drinks while underage, he or she may face various legal and academic repercussions. Not only is it possible for your child to deal with criminal proceedings, fines and jail time, but also various disciplinary actions from the university he or she attends.

This means that even if your child has shown maturity and good judgment in the past, it is no guarantee the pattern will continue in a college environment. The stress of school, pressure from peers and distance from parents can lead any young adult to experiment with drugs, including prescription medication. How do you know if your college student is doing drugs?

Signs of drug use

Drug use occurs on a scale. Your child may only try it once or twice, in which case there are likely to be few signs. It is still important to warn your child of experimenting, as it only takes one time to get into legal trouble or accidentally overdose.

For abuse or addiction, you may notice these red flags:

• Missing and/or failing classes
• Lacking motivation
• Exhibiting mood swings
• Losing money
• Sleeping during the day
• Looking unhealthy or unhygienic 
• Participating in other criminal activity

You may even find actual evidence among your child’s possessions.

How to respond

If you suspect your college kid’s involvement with drugs, you may feel powerless and not know what to do next. It is best to confront your son or daughter in a calm, loving manner. Offer professional and legal assistance to get his or her life back on track. Reassure your love and desire to see your child succeed in life.

Remind him or her of the immediate and long-term consequences of drug use, such as losing scholarships, limiting job opportunities and hurting one’s mental health. You cannot force your child to listen or change, but you can set boundaries that encourage cooperation.

Heroin offenses carry especially tough penalties. It is illegal to be in a place where heroin is kept and even in the company of a person possessing heroin, such as at a party or dorm room. Sharing drugs with individuals under 21 at a party, dormitory or anywhere else within 1,000 feet of a college has harsh penalties under federal law. These include a mandatory one-year prison sentence, while a third conviction can lead to life imprisonment.

College students do not receive preferential treatment. Students may be expelled from schools or dormitories. Courts do not lift prison sentences so that convicted students can complete college or go to work. Certain convictions also need to be listed on applications to graduate or professional schools and jobs. These can also prevent entry into many professions or employment fields and the loss of licenses needed to engage in certain professions.

Massachusetts and federal laws also allow for the seizure of private property, such as vehicles, used with or stemming from the proceeds of illegal drug activities. Monetary fines may also be imposed in some cases.

Massachusetts and federal laws prevent eligibility for federal student grants and loans for certain types of convictions. Convictions also disqualify a person from participation in federally-sponsored research grants and contracts.

The drug court model in Massachusetts has become one of the leading examples of drug rehabilitative measures across the country. With the support of the federal government’s opioid commission, the reach of the program is increasing, making it a viable option for more nonviolent drug offenders. There are a few important aspects of the court process to be aware of.

Purpose of the court

Drug court is a type of specialty court in Massachusetts. These courts focus on treating the cause of the issue, rather than dealing with it punitively. This approach provides offenders the chance to overcome their addictions, so that they may once again become productive members of society. The programs have proven to be so successful that the use of the program has expanded in Massachusetts, as well as across the country.

The process

Though there are different programs for minors and adults, the programs include a few key elements:

• Mandatory participation in treatment and therapy activities
• Random and scheduled drug tests
• Probation supervision
• Monitoring by judge

Each aspect is tailored to the specific offenders in the attempt to aid in their individual rehabilitation. Even with these elements in place, the success of the program is still heavily dependent upon the individual’s commitment level to overcome the addiction.

Eligibility

There are specific requirements to be eligible for the drug court programs. One major aspect is that the guilty party must be a nonviolent offender. In most cases, the courts look for the party to have a previous history of drug use; however, this is not mandatory. Along with eligibility to enter the program, participants must meet the requirements and fulfill the obligations of the program through its entirety. Otherwise, they may face charges in federal court.

Depending upon the situation, drug court may be worth considering. Opting for drug court may also help matters when attending a university disciplinary hearing for a campus drug crime. It may be beneficial to provide evidence that you are addressing addiction proactively. Many people choose to consult with a knowledgeable attorney about whether drug court is an option in their case.

Reasonable residence hall contracts may allow a warrantless search. Usually, residence staff members may inspect rooms for safety or health reasons. In one case, however a student was prosecuted at a Massachusetts college for illegal possession or cultivation of marijuana after university staff searched a dorm room.

Earlier, they posted notices when they would enter these rooms to conduct a search for a cat. Officials later searched the room when the student was not there. They noticed a light in a closet. Fearing a fire hazard, they opened the door and discovered two large marijuana plans, growing lights, fertilizer and other cultivation equipment. Campus police were summoned and, without a warrant, photographed evidence and removed it.

The Massachusetts Supreme Court ruled that college officials could lawfully enter the room without a warrant to enforce a valid health and safety rule. They could also open the closet door when they saw a light for that reason.

However, the warrantless search by the police violated the student’s constitutional rights because they were not lawfully in the room when they saw the evidence. Their search related to law enforcement where there is no Fourth Amendment exception. Campus police should have sought a warrant after receiving information from college officials.

Generally, students have a reasonable expectation of privacy in their dorm rooms like those enjoyed by apartment tenants. Students can consent, in a lease or housing agreements, to searches by university officials. However, these must be related to a criminal investigation unless there are urgent circumstances, or the search is associated with an arrest.

Students should seek legal assistance to assure their rights are protected during dorm searches or other investigations. There can be long-term consequences from a law enforcement or college investigation.

According to the Washington Post, many high schoolers admit to trying drugs, but the consequences can often be disproportionately harsh. There is a lot at stake, in fact, for high schoolers who fall into drug use. There are a few things all parents should know if their child is caught in possession of illegal drugs.

College admissions

The consequences of involvement with drugs will depend on whether your child faces criminal charges. If the offense occurred at school, the administration may choose to handle the issue internally. If not, however — or if school administration involves law enforcement — there may be criminal charges. This could seriously jeopardize your student’s chances of admission to the college of his or her choice.

Financial aid

If a college does admit your teen does in spite of drug-related charges, she or he may still face yet another obstacle: acquiring financial aid. Generally, the government only suspends aid for offenses and convictions that took place while the student was receiving aid, but some other criminal convictions can affect eligibility, too. Needless to say, it is imperative to your student’s future to minimize the possibility of conviction.

Future employment

Whether or not college is in the immediate plans for your child, he or she will have to consider career prospects at some point. Many employers order background checks on potential employees, and a criminal conviction — no matter how old — will reflect poorly. In some cases, it could even automatically disqualify your daughter or son from consideration for a prospective job.