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friend on diversion- they can stop you drinking?

SamSam Registered User regular
edited March 2009 in Help / Advice Forum
One of my buddies got busted for cannabis possession, and he says he's going to try to get on diversion, which would entail a fine and a contract to get screened for not only drugs but alcohol. This guy turns 21 in less than a year, can they really force you to abstain from alcohol when it's legal for you to drink? It's not like he got a DUI or was even caught while driving.

It would suck to not be able to drink with my friend anymore, is this normally how it works?

Sam on

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    ComahawkComahawk Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    Yes, they can.

    A friend of mine got arrested, charged and found guilty for selling marijuana. He was put on probation for a year and it was one of the rules of his probation that he not ingest or buy any alcohol.

    Comahawk on
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    ScrubletScrublet Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    This is a question whose answer depends on your state, as both the laws your buddy broke as well as the diversion programs are state laws. That being said, YES those diversion programs can force you to abstain from alcohol.

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    PeregrineFalconPeregrineFalcon Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    Such laws are legally enforceable. Whodathunkit?

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    ComahawkComahawk Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    PeregrineFalcon wrote: »
    Such laws are legally enforceable. Whodathunkit?

    Yeah, same friend I mentioned before thought he didn't need to listen to his probation rules. RCMP caught him with alcohol once and he nearly was thrown in jail for a year, the fact that he had a job and seemed to be getting his life back on track saved his ass.

    Comahawk on
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    SamSam Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    that's pretty fucked up. i don't know how this is going to affect our friendship as we mostly meet up on weekends and get hammered, as does basically everyone else we know.

    Sam on
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    ScrubletScrublet Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    I would hope that it means you all find other ways to hang out in addition to getting hammered while not putting your friend in a situation where it's easy for him to get in a shitload of trouble. I would hope that when his diversion ends you get him pants-shitting drunk to celebrate.

    Scrublet on
    subedii wrote: »
    I hear PC gaming is huge off the coast of Somalia right now.

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    PeregrineFalconPeregrineFalcon Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    Sam wrote: »
    that's pretty fucked up. i don't know how this is going to affect our friendship as we mostly meet up on weekends and get hammered, as does basically everyone else we know.

    Well, hopefully you're a good enough friend that your friendship extends beyond getting shitfaced.

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    ForarForar #432 Toronto, Ontario, CanadaRegistered User regular
    edited March 2009
    PeregrineFalcon wrote: »
    Sam wrote: »
    that's pretty fucked up. i don't know how this is going to affect our friendship as we mostly meet up on weekends and get hammered, as does basically everyone else we know.

    Well, hopefully you're a good enough friend that your friendship extends beyond getting shitfaced.

    My thoughts as well. Not to drag this into D&D territory, but my friends are people that I like hanging out with whether there's alcohol around or not.

    Sure, it might suck for him to hang out with people while everyone's doing shots and slamming back whatevers, but hey, if it keeps him out of jail then I guess he just became the most dedicated of dedicated drivers. (figuratively or literally, whichever)

    Forar on
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    JohnnyCacheJohnnyCache Starting Defense Place at the tableRegistered User regular
    edited March 2009
    Sam wrote: »
    One of my buddies got busted for cannabis possession, and he says he's going to try to get on diversion, which would entail a fine and a contract to get screened for not only drugs but alcohol. This guy turns 21 in less than a year, can they really force you to abstain from alcohol when it's legal for you to drink? It's not like he got a DUI or was even caught while driving.

    It would suck to not be able to drink with my friend anymore, is this normally how it works?

    He's waiving the privilege of drinking to get a lesser punishment for something else...they can contract someone to almost any terms if it's something done voluntarily for a reduction.

    During the days of Operation Sundevil, for example, many teenage hackers were so terrified of going to a federal, pound-me-in-the-ass prison that they agreed to probation terms including things like "no use of anything with a keypad or a modem, whatsoever"

    JohnnyCache on

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    John MatrixJohn Matrix Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    I used to work with a guy who told me about a friend of his (all this takes place in Texas) where he had to take a medication (as part of his get out of jail plea) that made him violently sick if he consumed any alcohol. Anyone else heard about this?

    John Matrix on
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    TL DRTL DR Not at all confident in his reflexive opinions of thingsRegistered User regular
    edited March 2009
    When you agree to probation, you waive a lot of your rights. The police (and/or your probation officer) can come search your house without a warrant or probable cause, for example.

    TL DR on
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    ElrosstElrosst Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    PeregrineFalcon wrote: »
    Sam wrote: »
    that's pretty fucked up. i don't know how this is going to affect our friendship as we mostly meet up on weekends and get hammered, as does basically everyone else we know.

    Well, hopefully you're a good enough friend that your friendship extends beyond getting shitfaced.

    I hate to get all opinion-y, but he's just going to have to bite the bullet, and if you want to stay friends, you'll have to support his decision. There are many other things you could do rather than drink..

    Elrosst on
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    milehighmilehigh Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    John Matrix wrote: »
    I used to work with a guy who told me about a friend of his (all this takes place in Texas) where he had to take a medication (as part of his get out of jail plea) that made him violently sick if he consumed any alcohol. Anyone else heard about this?

    Antabuse. I had a DUI about two years ago and in my alcohol classes (mandatory) this is what they gave the really, really major offenders (ie: 3rd-4th offenders or people who were otherwise in trouble with the law) A lot of the people on it were complaining of night terrors and I was glad I didn't have to take the stuff. They actually had to go into the center and someone had to watch them take it, drink a glass of water, and check their mouth afterward...

    milehigh on
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    corcorigancorcorigan Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    So the state forces you to be healthier, save money, and do something useful with your spare time?

    That actually sounds like quite a good punishment.

    corcorigan on
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    PheezerPheezer Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited March 2009
    corcorigan wrote: »
    So the state forces you to be healthier, save money, and do something useful with your spare time?

    That actually sounds like quite a good punishment.

    Basically.

    If you can't imagine not getting shitfaced every weekend, maybe challenging yourself to match your buddy's obligations and stay clean with him would be a good thing for you in the long run, too. It might even qualify you as a "good friend".

    Just a thought.

    Pheezer on
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    SamSam Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    i offered to quit smoking weed and proposed new hobbies- however, I have never known the guy to do anything apart from work his ass off and get shitfaced to unwind. He's always been pretty reluctant to do much else...he skis but that is not accessible here.

    Sam on
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    KakodaimonosKakodaimonos Code fondler Helping the 1% get richerRegistered User regular
    edited March 2009
    Yes, yes they can. Especially in a diversion program. He could always take the alternative, which is a usually a lower class felony on his permanent record (depending on the state). Most people take the diversion program. Once you finish it, pay the fine and keep your nose clean, your arrest record is usually expunged (again, depending on the state).

    And keep in mind, if he does this, he's used his one time get out of jail free card. If he gets busted again, he won't get the option to do the diversion program again.

    Kakodaimonos on
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    admanbadmanb unionize your workplace Seattle, WARegistered User regular
    edited March 2009
    Sam wrote: »
    i offered to quit smoking weed and proposed new hobbies- however, I have never known the guy to do anything apart from work his ass off and get shitfaced to unwind. He's always been pretty reluctant to do much else...he skis but that is not accessible here.

    That was a good thing to do. It might be time for him to find some new hobbies.

    Because I doubt he wants his new hobby to be, "Getting pounded in the ass by a huge dude."

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    LadyMLadyM Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    admanb wrote: »

    That was a good thing to do. It might be time for him to find some new hobbies.

    Because I doubt he wants his new hobby to be, "Getting pounded in the ass by a huge dude."

    You never know. :winky:

    LadyM on
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    The CatThe Cat Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited March 2009
    Sam wrote: »
    i offered to quit smoking weed and proposed new hobbies- however, I have never known the guy to do anything apart from work his ass off and get shitfaced to unwind. He's always been pretty reluctant to do much else...he skis but that is not accessible here.
    Well then, its time to start looking around for new things to do. Granted, its easier to find diversions in a city, but even if you're in sticksville there are options. You just have to make the effort. And its way easier to do that with a friend than alone. Poke him until he promises to branch out.

    The Cat on
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