AP Exam Season and Adderall Possession Charges: What Plymouth-Canton Parents Need to Know

AP exams run in May for high school students across Michigan, including students at Plymouth, Canton, and Salem High Schools. Under the pressure of the testing window, prescription stimulants — especially Adderall — sometimes get traded or shared between students. Most students who do this have no idea they are committing a felony under Michigan law.

Adderall Is a Schedule II Controlled Substance

Adderall (amphetamine/dextroamphetamine) is classified as a Schedule II controlled substance under Michigan law (MCL 333.7214). Schedule II drugs include several stimulants commonly prescribed for ADHD, as well as Ritalin, Vyvanse, and others.

Under MCL 333.7403, possession of a Schedule II controlled substance — unless prescribed to you — is a felony punishable by up to two years in prison and a fine of up to $2,000.

Sharing Pills Is Considered Delivery

What many students and parents do not realize: even "giving" a pill to a friend can be charged as delivery of a controlled substance under MCL 333.7401, which carries even higher penalties. For Schedule II narcotics, delivery (without an exchange for money) is still a felony — with potential prison sentences depending on the amount.

Why Schools Get Involved

If the alleged possession or sharing happens on school grounds, the school can suspend or expel the student under its own code of conduct, and additional "controlled substance near school property" enhancements can apply under MCL 333.7410, which doubles the maximum penalties for delivery within 1,000 feet of school property.

Collateral Consequences for Students

A felony drug conviction can:

• Disqualify a student from federal financial aid for higher education,
• Result in college admission revocation,
• Affect future professional licensing (medicine, law, teaching, nursing, etc.),
• Create a permanent criminal record that follows the student into adulthood.

What Parents Should Do

If your child is being investigated for sharing or possessing prescription stimulants:

• Do not allow them to be interviewed by school officials or police without an attorney.
• Do not allow consent searches of phones, lockers, or vehicles without consulting a lawyer first.
• Preserve any prescriptions and medical records if the medication was prescribed.
• Hire a defense attorney before the first court date.

Michigan does provide diversion under MCL 333.7411 for first-time controlled-substance possession offenders, which can result in dismissal of the charge without a conviction if the conditions are met. This is one of the most important tools in defending a young person facing their first drug charge.

Call Boria Law Today

If your son or daughter is facing a Michigan controlled-substance charge involving Adderall, Vyvanse, Ritalin, or another prescription medication, attorney Aaron J. Boria of Boria Law can help. Early intervention often makes the difference between a felony conviction and a dismissed case.

Call (734) 453-7806 today for a free consultation.