Phelps Incident Highlights Emotional, Financial Costs of Drug Use
Although Michael Phelps is currently facing no criminal or drug charges in relation to the infamous photo of the gold-medal winning swimmer allegedly inhaling from a marijuana water pipe, the repercussions from that photograph are still in effect. This example highlights one of the less pleasant aspects of the court of public opinion. Without a trial, and without a guilty verdict, drug use can have significant financial and emotional costs.
The Baltimore Sun reports in an article that Phelps has been dropped by Kellogg Foods, who had given the swimmer an endorsement deal. USA Swimming, the governing body for competitive swimming in America, has suspended him for three months and deprived him of his financial support during that same period. No drug charges have been filed against the swimmer, yet Phelps’s situation clearly illustrates the potential harm that merely being suspected of drug charges can do to a promising career.
In report, the disappointment and sorrow that Phelps’s mother must be feeling is also mentioned. One aspect of criminal allegations that is often neglected in the press is the intense emotional distress suffered by the friends and family of the accused. Family members often feel guilty or ashamed on behalf of their loved one who is accused of using drugs or is facing charges for a drug offense. They may also face significant prejudice and outright hostility from co-workers, neighbors and other members of the public.
Phelps’s story is a timely reminder that the costs of an incident involving drugs can begin to mount long before a case is brought to trial. If you have any questions about drug cases, please contact the attorneys of Meng & Alpert LLC. Our skilled Maryland narcotics defense lawyers can be reached at 866-444-6363 for a free consultation.
