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Is it illegal to share prescription drugs?

On Behalf of | Dec 20, 2022 | Drug Charges |

The cost of medical care is often a problem for many people. You may feel like you are helping a friend or family member by sharing your prescription drugs with them when they are sick or injured.

But you should be aware it is illegal to share prescription drugs, and you and the other person could face serious criminal charges.

Both in trouble

The sharing of prescription drugs is illegal on both ends. You cannot legally give them to someone else, and the other person cannot legally use them without a valid prescription.

Application

The law applies to all prescription drugs, but enforcement usually focuses on those medications with high abuse potential. Specifically, sharing pain pills will usually result in more severe penalties than sharing an antibiotic. But do not misunderstand. It is still illegal to share any type of prescribed medication regardless of what kind it is. You could face punishment for sharing your antibiotic just as you would when sharing a narcotic.

The reasoning

Sharing prescription medication is not only illegal, but it is dangerous. The reason behind the law is to keep everyone safe. Prescription medication requires doctor oversight for a specific reason. These medications may require specific considerations to ensure a safe dosage. What dosage you get may differ greatly from what someone else would get. If you share that medication with someone, it could become very dangerous for them to use it.

If you share prescription drugs, you could face charges for distribution, and the other person could face charges for possession.  There are other potential charges you both could face as well as health risks.