Selling prescription medications to others without the legal licensing to do so is against the law. If you are someone who happens to have a bottle of opioid medications or other restricted substances, don’t think about selling them or even giving them away. Doing so could end up resulting in drug crime accusations.
If you sell or give away a controlled substance to another person, then you can face a felony charge. As of the 2019 Regular Session of the Colorado General Assembly, possessing four grams or less of a controlled substance listed as either a Schedule I or II drug is a level 1 drug misdemeanor. Being in possession of and trafficking a Schedule I or II drug (over 225g) is a level 1 felony.
What is the difference between a Schedule I and II drug?
A Schedule I drug is one that has no medical purpose in the United States and is likely to be abused. A Schedule II drug does have medical purposes and is strictly limited. These drugs tend to have a high risk of abuse and addiction. Many narcotics, which are opioid drugs, do fall into the Schedule II category.
The opioids that fall into this category include:
- Hydromorphone
- Oxycodone
- Fentanyl
- Morphine
- Opium
- Codeine
- Meperidine
All of these drugs are tightly controlled because they do pose a risk of overdose and addiction/abuse.
What should you do if you’re accused of selling or giving away opioids?
Many people do make the mistake of giving away their medications or sharing with others. Some others will attempt to sell them to get some extra income. If you are accused of selling or sharing prescription medications, know that you do need to build a strong defense against those accusations.
Since opioids are often Schedule II drugs, you could be facing a felony for selling or giving them to others. Doing this is considered drug distribution and trafficking, so depending on how much of the drug was involved, you could be facing serious consequences. It’s worth looking into your legal options to fight against the penalties and the potential for a conviction.
