College drug use--will it foreclose jobs?

[Anonymous]

My college age dc has used marijuana and has abused other drugs. Yes, DC has been/is in treatment. My question is more practical. Will past use come out in background checks and foreclose job opportunities? DC has no criminal record. DC wants to be a lawyer and I wonder if this history would be a problem for government jobs.

[Anonymous]

He'll be asked when he fills out the app to be admitted to the bar. I'm a legal secretary and have read these apps of attorney I work for. What I see is that it's better to disclose and phrase as firmly in the past. "For two years in college I abused drugs, before going to rehab for 60 days. I have been drug-free for six years since getting out of rehab and regularly check in with my sponsor/counselor."

They want to know he won't win a client's personal injury case, get the money and snort it rather than give the money to a client.

[Anonymous]

No. Just be honest. And even places like the CIA and the FBI are ok with college-age (and other age) indiscretions and problems if you are honest about it, no longer have a problem and some time has passed. I think for the CIA it was 5 years of no use (but that was quite sometime ago too).

[Anonymous]

No. I agree with PPs- he would potentially be more harmed by lying about it than by admitting it. This won't be part of the background check at most jobs, but will likely come up on the Bar application.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No. I agree with PPs- he would potentially be more harmed by lying about it than by admitting it. This won't be part of the background check at most jobs, but will likely come up on the Bar application.

And when it does answer truthfully, even if the infraction has been "expunged"!

[Anonymous]

Thanks PPs, that makes me feel better!