Minor Misdemeanor Drug Abuse Ohio

My question involves criminal law for the state of: Ohio
I was in a car and we were pulled over after smoking marijuana. One of the persons in the car had less than a gram of marijuana on them, I was given a citation for drug abuse. I can either pay the fine on the citation or appear in court. My question is which route should I take? I have done a little research which has gotten me mixed results. I have no prior charges of any kind

Will paying the fine result in a charge on my record? I do not want this to hurt my future employment oppurtunites or affect current scholarships I am lined up to recieve.

Please address the question above as I need to know what I should do
Thank you

If you want to avoid a conviction, discuss your options with a local lawyer.

Are you charged under ORC 2925.11?

Quote:

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Quoting ORC 2925.11 Possession of controlled substances, Subsection (D)

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(D) Arrest or conviction for a minor misdemeanor violation of this section does not constitute a criminal record and need not be reported by the person so arrested or convicted in response to any inquiries about the person’s criminal record, including any inquiries contained in any application for employment, license, or other right or privilege, or made in connection with the person’s appearance as a witness.

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That doesn't of itself mean that people won't find out about it in the future.

You should have been concerned before you were cited. Now it is likely to late.