3 things you can not legally do with prescription drugs

Most items are your property once you pay for them, which means you can do whatever you want with those belongings. For a small number of items, legal restrictions persist even when you lawfully possess them.

People also call prescription drugs controlled substances because they are subject to numerous legal restrictions. You can only get a prescription drug when a doctor believes it is necessary for your treatment, and you typically have to abide by that doctor’s recommendations when possessing and using that medication.

After you pick your prescriptions up at a pharmacy, you could find yourself in violation of federal or state drug laws and facing criminal charges. What actions with prescription drugs could lead to criminal accusations?

Giving away or transferring medication

Whether you take a sleep aid or erectile dysfunction medication, there may be other people you know who would like to use or try the same drug.

If you change treatments or no longer need the medication, you cannot just hand it away to other people. Even if you do not profit from the transaction, transferring prescription medication to someone else is a potentially criminal act.

Driving after taking the medication

There are plenty of drugs that you can take and still drive to work like normal. From birth control to blood pressure medication, most drugs have very little impact on your cognition and daily functions.

However, muscle relaxants, anti-seizure medication, pain medication and even certain psychiatric medicine can affect cognition and your ability to safely drive a vehicle. If police officers discover that you have taken prescription medication and believe your driving was improper, you can find yourself charged with a crime as a result.

Abusing medication for recreational purposes

Some people will combine two drugs to produce an unusual side effect or take multiple times the dosage that their doctor recommends for enjoyment, rather than medical treatment.

Especially if you talk about such behavior on social media or engage in open abuse in a social environment where other people could witness that misconduct, you could eventually find yourself facing criminal charges when you intentionally misuse a medication in a way not recommended by your doctor.

Understanding the limits on your rights when using a controlled substance can help you avoid or better respond to drug charges because of that prescribed medication.