By David Cecil:

“Don’t do drugs.” Growing up, we are often inundated with anti-drug materials, yet many forget the seriousness of involvement with hard drugs.

That point was made during a supposed strong-arm robbery on Nov. 7 near Second and Lee Street. At first believed to be just an assault on a university student, U of L police found out later in the investigation that it was a student who ran into their dealer.

Besides the physical trauma dealt and the consequences for filing a false police report, the effects of drug use, possession or trafficking through illicit means can lead down a hole far deeper than this individual was taken that day. Maj. David James, commander of operations for U of L police, discussed the wide range of consequences and situations that could occur when one gets involved with drugs.

Anything from a gram of impure cocaine to the pain killer pills you had left over from a prescription can be considered a street drug. All that is needed is to take that extra step over the ledge of legitimacy and sell them through illegal means. While this means access to a drug can be far easier, the control of these substances can be of varying degrees.

“The companies that make Tylenol or other prescription medications have extreme controls over their substances,” James pointed out. “Dealers and creators of illicit drugs will break their materials up and mix it with other substances that are usually harmful for the body.”

As an example, a cocaine dealer could substitute part of the core material for something like chalk or laxative powder. This dissolution of the substance is a bonus only to the dealer, as it provides them with more of the pure drug to market to the streets, and gives more users a substance that has a higher probability of addiction or medical harm.

“It is a huge gamble,” said James.

Health effects are not the only consequences, however. Entire waves of legal issues can crash down on someone involved in drug-related crimes, and for most of us, that means facing legal issues that few comprehend. Hiring an attorney seems the most logical way out of this, until one considers pricing.

“An attorney’s price usually goes for around $150 to $200 an hour,” said James. “Of course, you could try to navigate the legal system on your own, but in the history of bad ideas, that is pretty up there.”

James also discussed the usual protocol when dealing with drug-related crimes.

“The offender is initially issued a citation. If they are taken to jail, they then go to the courtroom and make their plead. After this, a court date is made.”

The court process can be a daunting task, lasting anywhere from a few weeks to well over a year. Cases will often be based on the severity of the controlled substances in question. These drugs are put through a scheduling system of one through five, which ranks from highest to lowest potential abuse and on whether it has little or general use in the medical field.

Of course, exceptions are made in the rulings as well.

“If the offender was using a substance like marijuana,” James said, “and did not have a long history of use, their case could be a diversion process.”

This means that the user could opt out of a different court ruling and instead commit to some form of community service, alongside a class concerning drug abuse. Once verification of their service has been delivered, the offense is wiped off their record.

According to James, ULPD encourages students to get in contact with Campus Health and Counseling Services if they face issues with drugs.