Prescription medications have become a significant issue in the United States. They are responsible for many overdose deaths, as they can be quite addictive. People will often use them recreationally, taking more and more as their tolerance goes up, or perhaps gravitating to harder drugs.
To respond to this, medical professionals have cracked down on how painkillers are prescribed. They certainly still do use them, especially after major surgery or significant injuries, but they do try to ensure that the people who are purchasing those medications are using them properly.
One thing that this means is that you are not allowed to share any prescription medications. In part, this law aims to combat the black market trade of illegal drugs or the prescriptions themselves. But even someone who isn’t making money could run afoul of the law if they give their medication to someone who doesn’t have the right prescription.
What if your intentions are good?
In some cases, people will share medications and then claim that they had good intentions because they were just trying to help. Maybe the person who wanted to use the medication was a family member, a friend or even a romantic partner. They knew that the medicine could be helpful and they weren’t trying to break the law.
All of that may be true, and sharing prescription medications is different than selling them with the intent of making money. But that doesn’t change the fact that it is illegal, which can sometimes lead people to accidentally violate the law. Those who are facing significant charges need to carefully to explore all of their defense options.