College is a time in which students can make mistakes and learn from those mistakes in a safe environment. It is a student’s first time away from home, where they can enjoy the company of their peers without being under the watchful eye of their parents. It is natural then that students are prone to making mistakes that could potentially impact the rest of their lives.
The far-reaching consequences of a drug charge
Keeping the criminal and civil penalties for a DUI aside, if a college student or prospective college student is charged with marijuana possession during a DUI stop or other circumstances, the consequences regarding student aid and college eligibility could be dire. In Georgia, the Drug-Free Postsecondary Education Act of 1990 makes it so that students convicted of felonies involving marijuana and other controlled substances become ineligible for all State of Georgia Financial Aid Programs. Here is what you should know about drug charges for students:
- A student’s ineligibility for Georgia Financial Aid Programs can extend from the time of their conviction until the end of the following college term.
- Federal Student Aid eligibility is also affected by a drug possession charge.
- Possession of illegal drugs could lead to ineligibility for federal funds for 1 year after the date of the first conviction, 2 years after the second conviction, and an indefinite ineligibility after the third conviction.
- A conviction for drug dealing could mean a 2-year period of ineligibility after the first offense.
Supporting the rights of students to an education
A drug possession charge, for many schools, can lead to a suspension and even expulsion. You don’t want a mistake to mean the difference between your child’s education and more limited educational and professional opportunities. A drug possession conviction could lead employers to disregard a person’s job and internship applications and affect graduate school admissions. If your child was charged with drug possession, you need an experienced criminal defense lawyers to fight for their right to an education.
