I'm having a wide eye moment here since this goes against my perception of treatment centers and probation. I could have a crazy conversation regarding the whole substances here.
You're basically saying they didn't care that you smoked and they felt that it was beneficial as a treatment? I'm floored. Was this government related? Tell me more.
Yeah when I told my barrister they couldn't believe it.
I had a major coke problem back in the day it had me in a really bad place, I went to prison for possession of stolen goods, Rolex, Cartier, Glasgutte, Panerai, that kind of stolen goods. I was caught red handed and spilled the beans about the life I was living, major drug debt, dependency, dishonesty, I was basically dealing in stolen goods to pay for my habit. After spending almost a year in prison on remand I went to court and was assessed by probation who said I clearly fit the criteria for a drugs testing and rehabilitation order (first offence, remorse, good character etc). The judge took leaniancy and slapped me on the wrist. I was going home.
My only requirements were that I not test positive for cocaine and obviously stay out of trouble. At numerous meetings and assessments I was praised for keeping off the coke and away from crime, after 6 month I was required to go in front of the judge again as part of an assessment by the probation trust. The judge never batted an eyelid as my drug counsellor told them I had been testing positive for canabis twice a week for 6 month lol. He commended me and told me to keep up the fight with my addiction and to stay out of trouble, which I did.
Probation seemed to believe that because I've smoked cannabis since being young that it wasn't my trigger and was acctually stopping me from assosciating with the kind of people that would lead me back to hard drugs, they agreed that when I smoke I just wanna chill and spend time with family, and because it wasn't (then) classed as an addictive substance it wasn't putting me in danger of re-offending if I hadn't had a smoke.
6month later came and I was back in front of the judge and again he didn't care that I was smoking cannabis, he was more interested about y I tested positive for codeine so I provided my doctors note about my shoulder and off I walked again.
Throughout all of this my probation officer was impeccable and really was fundamental to my recovery, she believed that cannabis wasn't a problem for ME. She didn't condone drug use in any way but said that I needed to concentrate on beating the cocaine addiction and smoking took my mind off it and kept me out of trigger situations. She also said that quitting my beloved herb would just stress me out more and possibly make me turn to coke again.
At the end of the 18 month drug testing period I had another meeting with the judge who again commended me on my strength in beating my addiction, he even cut 6 months worth of drug tests and said they would be better used for someone who needed it.
I like telling this story because it restores a little faith in the penal system. These guys could have locked me away in a cell for 5 years after which I would've had the same problems I started with, they didn't, they gave me a chance and now i have a nice life, I pay my taxes, I like to think I'm a good citizen, I've got a family now and I owe it to them for giving me a second chance.
Hope u enjoyed that lol