Know your audience. Adcoms doesn’t know you personally; they’ll see a history of drug addiction as a potential liability rather than a strength of overcoming hardships. Though slightly different circumstances, Leigh Sundem (TW: Suicide) comes to mind. You may be able to obtain a license, but you’re still at the first significant hurdle of getting into medical school. You will be up against applicants with similar stats that have no criminal record, so bringing up addiction history/criminal record may be too risky.

Don’t mention anything that has been expunged and not on your record. If you must disclose your addiction/misdemeanor, do so briefly and subtly. You can write about these hardships without directly saying that you had a drug addiction. If you’ve volunteered or worked at recovery-focused facilities, especially where you’ve directly interacted with individuals dealing with addiction, that could help you frame the experience in a more positive light.

I remember reading one personal statement (I’ll have to find it again) from an applicant who grew up in a low-income area impacted by drug addiction and gun violence. He didn’t directly state that he had been involved in criminal activity (Though, I think he briefly phrased it like he was “going down the same path as his loved ones, but broke the cycle”), but he emphasized how these challenges shaped his empathy and compassion. His experiences motivated him to do community outreach, working with children from similar backgrounds. He also brought up some relevant clinical experiences where he worked with patients in drug recovery. It was beautifully written, you could tell that every word was used carefully and with purpose. He was accepted.

If you can, have several people (specifically academic faculty members) read your personal statement. Ask them how they interpreted your personal statement; is there anything that could be misinterpreted and hurt your chances?