If you are ill or injured, then you will seek assistance from a medical professional. Part of your recovery process may involve taking drugs for a set period of time. You will be issued these in the form of a prescription.
The drugs that you acquire may be powerful. However, if they have been prescribed by the appropriate authority, then they are perfectly legal.
It might be fair to assume that prescription drugs can never result in criminal charges, but this is wrong. In some circumstances, drugs prescribed by a doctor can lead to serious drug charges, and here’s how.
Prescriptions are specific to the person
It might be tempting to think that all drugs that come out of a pharmacy that are prescribed by a physician are legal under all circumstances. This isn’t the case. A prescription is designed to assist only the person named by the physician.
If someone gets ahold of your prescription drugs, either on a voluntary or involuntary basis, then they are most likely breaking the law. At the same time, if someone else’s prescription drugs have fallen into your hands, it is possible that you might face criminal charges.
Medicine must be obtained lawfully
Perhaps you’ve had a condition in the past that was treated successfully with a medicine that you remember. However, the doctor will no longer prescribe this to you. Instead, they give you something else. Some might be tempted to find a way to obtain the previous medicine, by adjusting a document or charming the pharmacy staff. However, medicine cannot be obtained under false pretenses, and this could amount to prescription drug fraud.
Facing any kind of drug charge is a serious issue that you must address. Obtaining a firm understanding of your legal rights in Tennessee will place you in a strong position moving forward.
