When people imagine someone being arrested on drug charges, they probably think of someone attempting to sell illegal drugs. They assume that this would never happen to them because they’re not intentionally selling things like heroin, cocaine or marijuana.
But people are sometimes arrested on drug charges after making mistakes and doing things that they did not even realize were illegal. Additionally, drug charges are often related to prescription medications, such as painkillers and opioids. How could these lead to serious criminal allegations?
Sharing prescription drugs
One thing to remember is that it’s illegal to share a prescription medication with someone else. It’s also illegal for people who don’t have a prescription to use or possess those controlled substances.
What sometimes happens is that a person legally gets a prescription – perhaps they get in a car accident, for example, and the doctor gives them a prescription for high-caliber opioid painkillers – but, as that person recovers, they don’t use all of the pills.
Later, a family member or a friend asks if they can have the medication. Maybe they’ve been experiencing pain and they think it will help. The person who initially got the prescription may share it without thinking twice, knowing that they have good intentions and they’re not selling the medication. This isn’t a drug deal. They’re just helping someone they care about.
But that certainly could lead to arrest, as police are cracking down because painkillers are one of the most commonly abused drugs in the United States. Those who are facing unexpected charges need to know how serious this is and what legal defense options they have.
