Culture changes with each generation. What was once unthinkable can become commonplace in the course of just a few decades. There was one intense social stigma attached to recreational drug use, but that has changed dramatically.
Young adults are more likely than their parents or grandparents to have a very permissive attitude toward recreational drug use. Especially in states like California that have changed the drug laws on record to make them more permissive, young adults may not adequately respect drug prohibition laws.
Unfortunately, while they may feel like drug laws no longer matter due to marijuana legalization, the police are unlikely to agree with their point of view. The laws have not kept up with changing attitudes about drug use. Teenagers and young adults in their 20s could easily find themselves facing jail time over drug charges because of their permissive attitudes regarding drug use.
Those still under age can face criminal consequences
Teenagers and college students alike often experiment with mind-altering substances. While marijuana and alcohol may be legal for adults to use, they are still illegal for minors to try. Those who get caught using or possessing drugs at a younger age than state law permits could face criminal charges. The same is true of those who share drugs with or transfer drugs to those who are underage.
They might just assume they won’t face consequences
Even if your young adult was responsible enough to wait until their 20s to start experimenting with mind-altering substances and avoids the common mistake of sharing with others who aren’t old enough, they could still break California law.
For example, if the police discover that they have more than one ounce of marijuana in their possession at any given time, they could still face arrest and criminal charges. Additionally, the possession of other drugs could lead to drug charges. Psychedelic mushrooms, for example, while decriminalized in some places, are still against state and federal law. Prescription medications, party drugs and many other substances are illegal to possess despite California having permissive laws regarding marijuana.
Helping your teenager or young adult fight back against drug charges may lead to their learning an important lesson about respecting the law instead of ruining their life with a youthful mistake.