You should know that if you are prescribed a medication, then that medication is specifically for you. If you don’t need it, then you should return it to the pharmacy or dispose of it properly.
If you decide to share your medications with another person, then you could be accused of drug crimes. Sharing prescriptions is illegal and may be taken as seriously as any other drug-related offense.
While prescription-drug sharing isn’t uncommon, it’s not legal
Sharing your prescriptions is against the law even though you may see people do it socially. It might be somewhat understandable due to the high costs associated with health care, but the reality is that there are good reasons not to share your medications with others.
Sharing your medications is dangerous, which is the main reason it shouldn’t be done. How is it dangerous? When you share prescription medications, there is a risk that:
- The other party could overdose
- The other person could be allergic to the medication
- The other party could misuse the medication
- The individual could have an interaction between their medications and the new medication
These and other problems could arise by taking a medication that isn’t prescribed to you.
Prescriptions have specific roles in patient care
Prescriptions do have a role to play when it comes to treating illnesses or pain, for example, but not all medications are made equal. Someone who has an infection may not benefit from every type of antibiotic, and someone in pain may not need something as significant as an opioid.
Sharing drugs increases the likelihood of overdoses and addictions, and it also makes it harder for medical providers to know which medications their patients are taking. That’s why sharing drugs is penalized. If you’re caught sharing a prescription medication, you could face drug charges that could lead to heavy fines or imprisonment.
It’s not worth the risk. Don’t share your medications with others. If you do or are accused of doing so and face charges, then it’s important to take steps to defend yourself, so you have the best chance of minimizing the penalties you face.
