Friday, October 08, 2004
Drug and alcohol testing: A humbling and intrusive experience
Drug and alcohol abuse is one of the leading causes of personal legal problems. If accusations of drug and/or alcohol abuse have landed you in hot water, then you may be required to undergo drug and alcohol testing, an experience that is both intrusive and humbling.
Drug and alcohol abuse are the one of leading causes of personal legal problems. If accusations of drug and/or alcohol abuse have landed you in hot water, then you may be required to undergo drug and alcohol testing, an experience that is both intrusive and humbling.
Many ordinary people land in legal trouble due to suspicions or accusations of drug and/or alcohol abuse. The most common such legal problems are driving while intoxicated, marijuana possession cases and family court problems. In many instances, the law now requires a drug or alcohol evaluation.
The first step is the evaluation. Certified drug and alcohol counselors (“C.A.D.C.”) perform these evaluations. C.A.D.C. are employed court probation departments, private agencies and government agencies (like D.Y.F.S.). The evaluation is an interview in which the counselor asks a series of very personal questions. Many people find this process too intrusive and very humbling.
Based on the answers, the counselor makes a recommendation for drug or alcohol treatment. The recommendations range from no treatment required to long-term in-patient treatment. In addition, it is very common for the recommendation to include random urine monitoring.
If a Court has ordered the evaluation, then the Court will require that you follow all the recommendations. In most cases, that means regular counseling sessions with a C.A.D.C., accompanied by random urine tests. These requirements are designed to help people with drug and alcohol problems, and they are mandatory, whether or not the individual believes he or she needs them.
You should consult an attorney if you have any questions.