If you are like many parents, you feel like kids grow up faster nowadays than ever before. Fortunately, you have the opportunity to teach the young ones in your family to be responsible and ethical people. Your kids are likely to act out at one point or another, though.
According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, it is not uncommon for teens to experiment with controlled substances. Nevertheless, you may not realize your child is using drugs until you find drug paraphernalia somewhere in your home.
What is drug paraphernalia?
In California, drug paraphernalia has a broad definition. In fact, paraphernalia can be anything a person can use to ingest, manufacture, distribute or even hide drugs. The Golden State’s Health and Safety Code considers it either a misdemeanor- or felony-level crime to have drug paraphernalia in one’s possession.
Not only can possession of drug paraphernalia expose you and your teen to criminal penalties, but it may also lead to life consequences. For example, it may be difficult to obtain employment, housing and even public benefits with a paraphernalia conviction on one’s record.
What can you do?
If you find drug paraphernalia in your house, your first concern may be for the safety of your teen. Indeed, he or she may need professional help for drug addiction. Still, you cannot forget about the legal exposure drug paraphernalia potentially causes everyone in your family.
It may be useful to make it clear drug paraphernalia is off-limits in your home. Ultimately, though, you should probably explore all your legal options as soon as possible.