Instagram users who post pictures of themselves smoking marijuana could unknowingly be getting themselves into a lot of trouble.
As marijuana laws get looser around the country, the trend is becoming more and more prevalent. And though Instagram guidelines prohibits people from posting “unlawful” photos and other content, users are posting the pictures fast than the site can take them down. “Even though 23 states have legalized medical marijuana and four states have legalized recreational marijuana, marijuana remains illegal federally,” said former Drug Enforcement Administration agent Patricia D’Orsa-Dijamco to Fox News.
Though the consequences could be different depending where you are, social media strategist Shannon Self told Fox that in states with harsh laws against marijuana, “a photograph of someone smoking weed documents a possession felony.” In Arizona, for example, that alone could cost you a $150,000 fine and an 18-month jail sentence.
As if jail time wouldn’t already do the trick, being seen smoking marijuana on social media could have serious implications on both your professional and personal lives. “One minimizes their potential employment and earning capacity which may, in the end, affect their life,” D’Orsa-Dijamco told Fox. “In addition, for instance: in a child custody battle, the pictures of anyone conducting any illegal activity or questionable moral turpitude could affect the outcome of custody.”