Using someone else’s prescription medicine might seem harmless to some people. If an individual is in pain or in need of urgent medical attention, taking medication not prescribed to them may seem like a suitable shortcut to save time.
However, sharing prescription medicine in Georgia is illegal and can have serious legal consequences. Understanding why sharing prescription medication is illegal may prevent people from sharing their medication and getting into legal trouble.
Why sharing prescription medicine is illegal
As the name suggests, prescription drugs are medicines available to patients who’ve directly consulted with a healthcare provider about their symptoms. Sharing these drugs means giving them to someone who doesn’t have a valid prescription from a licensed healthcare provider.
One of the reasons sharing prescription drugs is illegal is because certain drugs may cause adverse side effects for people who did not consult with a doctor before taking them. Those who do not have prescriptions may also be at risk of misusing or abusing prescribed medication.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) acknowledges that even prescription medicine can be addictive, cause overdoses or cause serious health complications. Some prescription drugs that individuals may be inclined to abuse include opioids, benzodiazepines and stimulants. Even less potent medications can have harmful effects if taken incorrectly, taken by someone with an unknown medical condition or taken by someone who is self-medicating.
Sharing or selling prescription medication is considered an unauthorized distribution and is treated as a criminal offense.
Legal support to overcome charges
It is not uncommon for individuals to share prescription medication without knowing it is illegal. Individuals who get into legal trouble for this should know that they cannot use ignorance as a defense. Instead, they might want to enlist seasoned legal support to help them fight drug charges. Legal support can help individuals understand the charges against them, build a strong defense and work towards minimizing the consequences of their offense.
The right legal team can help scrutinize the search and seizure that led to drug charges. Additionally, a legal team can help demonstrate if there was no intention to sell the medication.
Many people who share prescription medicine do so with good intentions. However, the sharing of prescription medication is illegal in Georgia due to the risks it poses to public health and safety. The consequences of violating Georgia drug laws can be severe. For those who have been charged with sharing prescription medication, it may be possible to navigate the resulting legal process with proper legal support.