The potentially addictive nature of opioid pain medication and other powerful drugs has become a major public health concern. Additionally, individuals who have prescriptions for medications can sometimes break the law by doing something inappropriate with that medication.
Many people with prescriptions for pain relievers and other medications may realize that the state could prosecute them for selling their medication to another person. The average patient might never dream of illegally selling medication to other people. However, they might consider sharing the medication they didn’t use with people they know and trust. Yet, despite what people sometimes assume, transferring medication is still a crime even when there is no financial gain involved.
Sharing medication constitutes trafficking
A patient with a knee injury or who recently underwent surgery might receive a prescription for an opioid pain reliever, like Oxycontin. They might only need a portion of the medication prescribed by their doctor and dispensed by their pharmacist.
The remainder of the medication may sit untouched in their medicine cabinet for months. Then, a neighbor hurts their back moving a fridge or a co-worker complains that their doctor won’t renew their prescription for pain relievers. It might even be a family member who has medical issues that cause serious pain.
People with leftover medication might consider sharing it as a way of providing compassionate support and making use of medication that might otherwise go to waste. While their intentions might be good, their actions violate the law. Both federal regulations and state statutes prohibit the transfer of medication to other people by unlicensed individuals.
A prescribed medication is only legal to possess and use in accordance with the recommendations of the prescribing physician. A patient cannot distribute their leftover medication to others without risking criminal prosecution. Even without financial gain, the act of transferring medication to another party is technically an act of drug trafficking.
Some people get caught in the act because they hand over medication in a location where there are people or cameras that may witness their behavior. Other times, the recipient might have an adverse reaction and end up in the hospital. They could also commit a crime while under the influence or cause a car crash.
There are many ways that people get caught transferring their medication to others. They may then face very serious criminal allegations. Fighting back against drug charges related to prescription medication can help people prevent a mistake from becoming a life-altering issue. Those who share their medication endanger not just those using drugs without the oversight of a physician but also themselves.
