You don’t think of yourself as a drug dealer and you certainly don’t intend to become one. The only reason that you gave your neighbor some of your prescription pain medication is because he was clearly hurting after taking a nasty fall. Still, it’s not like you sold them to him.
Even if you had the best of intentions when you shared your prescription medication you committed a crime. In Virginia, you could be charged with a felony and end up being sentenced to anywhere from one to fifty years in jail. The severity of the punishment depends on what type of drug you shared.
Pain medication classifications
In the United States, the drug schedule is designed according to the potential for addiction. The highest potential for addiction comes with Schedule I drugs and the lowest potential for addiction is Schedule IV. The majority of prescription pain medications are categorized as Schedule II or Schedule III drugs.
Distribution of Schedule II drugs in Virginia is considered a Class 5 felony which carries with it a sentence of two to ten years in jail and a fine of up to $2,500. Distribution of Schedule III drugs is a Class 1 misdemeanor and it carries a sentence of up to 12 months in jail as well as a fine of up to $2,500.
Why is it a problem to share my prescription drugs?
You may not feel that you did anything wrong. The truth is that sharing your prescription drugs is dangerous. When your doctor wrote a prescription, they intended to treat a specific issue that you were experiencing. Sharing your drugs with another person could lead to them becoming sick or even overdosing.
If you have been charged with a felony or misdemeanor because you shared your prescription with another person, contact an experienced legal guide to discuss your options.
-
Facebook
-
Twitter
-
LinkedIn