Is It Allowed to Cross Examine a Witness Regarding Alleged Drug Use ?

In People v. Adams, 259 Ill. App. 3d 995, 631 N.E.2d 1176, 197 Ill. Dec. 717 (1993) the trial court refused to allow cross examination of a witness regarding his alleged drug use, and the appellate court reversed. The Adams court stated that "it has been held that the question as to whether a witness is a narcotics addict at the time of testifying or at the time an event occurred is a proper subject of cross-examination." Adams, 259 Ill. App. 3d at 1004. In People v. Di Maso, 100 Ill. App. 3d 338, 426 N.E.2d 972, 55 Ill. Dec. 647 (1981) the court held that the testimony of the defendant's psychologist regarding a witness' treatment for drug abuse was improperly excluded where the witness in question denied ever using narcotic drugs.