People cannot legally access prescription medication without a doctor’s recommendation. Medical doctors typically try to prescribe an appropriate amount of medication based on a patient’s condition, sex, age and weight. Occasionally, there is medication left over when they finish treatment.
In some cases, a patient may not tolerate treatment well or may not react the way a doctor expects. They may discontinue a prescription before they use all the medication. Other times, the opposite could occur. A patient may respond so well to treatment that they can stop taking the medication before they run out of it. However, having leftover medication on hand can be dangerous, as people may make mistakes that lead to criminal prosecution.
Patients cannot transfer medication to others
Perhaps someone who was undergoing treatment for painful endometriosis has a co-worker with the same condition. They might offer to give their coworker their leftover medication. Other times, they might let their spouse or children take their leftover pills to treat similar symptoms for completely different medical conditions.
Some people go so far as to sell their leftover medication to recover what they spent to purchase it. Regardless of whether the prescription holder makes money off of the transfer, they could be at risk of criminal prosecution for breaking Florida’s controlled substance laws.
If they get caught in the act of transferring medication, they could face very serious allegations of distributing controlled substances. If the recipient gets arrested for possessing the medication illegally later, they may provide the name of the person who transferred the medication to them in the hopes of avoiding the worst criminal charges possible.
The worst-case scenario might involve someone who takes the medication and then has a bad reaction or causes harm to others. Those who start a fight while under the influence or who cause car crashes could end up arrested, as could the person who provided the medication.
What seems like a totally innocent and appropriate decision could actually result in life-altering consequences for the individual with leftover medication. Fighting back against prescription drug charges often requires a careful review of the situation. People may need help learning about the law and about what criminal defense strategies have worked in similar circumstances, and that’s okay.