Even middle school children know that possession of prohibited drugs like heroin, marijuana or methamphetamine can get someone arrested. Most people also understand that it’s possible to abuse prescription drugs. Still, they may not recognize the legal risks that come from possessing and using prescription medications.
Texas, like most states, has strict controlled substances laws that regulate prescription drugs ranging from sleep medication to narcotic painkillers. There are multiple ways that you could end up arrested for possessing a prescription.
You have a frequently abused medication outside of its container
When your doctor writes you a prescription, the pharmacy includes crucial details on the bottle or other container that they provide when they dispense your medication. The information includes the date of the prescription, the number of pills prescribed and the name of the prescribing physician. Without that information, police officers may assume that you don’t have the legal right to possess the drugs, especially if it is a medication people frequently misuse.
You take a medication in a way that contradicts medical orders
If it says right on your prescription paperwork not to mix the medication with alcohol but you do so because you enjoy the way that it makes you feel, police could arrest you if they catch you doing that. The same is true of taking more than you should, more frequently than you should or otherwise intentionally abusing the medication or violating the recommendations of the physician who prescribed it.
You have a legal prescription that belongs to someone else
Just because a prescription is legal for someone recommended that medication by a doctor doesn’t mean anyone can possess a prescription drug. Even if someone gave or sold you their unused medication, your possession of that medication is a crime.
Understanding what actions might violate Texas drug laws can help you avoid charges or defend yourself against them.