asked this on Reddit but wanted to try here as well.
I had an interview with an investigator and I disclosed my (infrequent) use of Marijuana. When I told her, she asked for the names of the people I smoked with.
Is this common practice? I know the drug section says that YOU won’t be charged with a crime for admitting to it, and I assume the government has better things to do than go after recreational drug users, but I still found this a bit odd.
I gave her the names, and it’s not like these people are drug dealers or crime lords, but I would hate to see anyone else lose their job or get in any trouble just because of this interview.
Continued association with illegal drug users is a concern which is why they ask with whom did you do it with. It has nothing to do with them, just to see if you are still hanging out with them which would make it more likely for you to use again.
Would issues arise if I am still in contact with a couple of individuals that I use to use marijuana with (and another illegal substance one time), but they have also stopped?
I have distanced myself from all other individuals from that time in my life that still did or currently do use. I have two friends that I still occasionally hang out with that I use to smoke with, but they stopped around a similar time that I did. One stopped after having gotten sick and was in the hospital for a period of time and the other having gone to therapy and through a program for prescription drug abuse. Would the age during use/stopping and time pass also make a difference?
When you AND you associates stop using drugs, that part of the issue is normally mitigated. BIs also ask who else is aware because it helps resolve issues when people can say about you, " used to smoke pot, but stopped (fill in the year). Most everyone is aware of the past use, even their family. They are not vulnerable to blackmail because of their past use."
This all happened about 5 years ago. I have family and other long term friends that are aware of my past use that can vouch for my stopping, change of behavior, and overall increase of maturity. As well as current/former roommates that can confirm that I have not smoked for the years that I have been living with them.