Personally speaking, I'd see it as evidence of entrepreneurial spirit and experience ;) I'd also hope that anyone knocking you back on those grounds weren't themselves users, because that would be rank hypocrisy.
However you weren't asking about me :)
Firstly, lawyer up. Get a lawyer who specializes in this sort of thing and ask him or her what to do.
Secondly, try to see this from a risk management perspective, which is most likely how your prospective employers will approach it.
From their perspective, it's probably (but see 'lawyer up' above) immaterial to them on a daily basis if you're no longer dealing, and not going to turn up to work stoned or have a shootout with another dealer in the company carpark. But imagine the fallout if you did. Imagine being the guy or girl who signed off on your hiring.
That's what's going through their heads when considering your application, & that's what you need to mitigate.
However you weren't asking about me :)
Firstly, lawyer up. Get a lawyer who specializes in this sort of thing and ask him or her what to do.
Secondly, try to see this from a risk management perspective, which is most likely how your prospective employers will approach it.
From their perspective, it's probably (but see 'lawyer up' above) immaterial to them on a daily basis if you're no longer dealing, and not going to turn up to work stoned or have a shootout with another dealer in the company carpark. But imagine the fallout if you did. Imagine being the guy or girl who signed off on your hiring.
That's what's going through their heads when considering your application, & that's what you need to mitigate.