Many criminal charges related to drugs are predictable. They involve people who purchase prohibited drugs on the unregulated market or find ways to continue using a prescribed medication after their doctor ends their prescription. The people involved understand that their actions put them at risk of prosecution.
However, there are some scenarios in which people engaged in relatively innocent and even well-intentioned behavior could end up facing serious drug charges. What starts as an attempt to do a favor for a family member, roommate or neighbor might lead to life-altering consequences for a person who is attempting to be kind.
Transporting medication can be a risky favor
There are many scenarios in which one person might need to handle or transport the medication of another. For example, perhaps a roommate who just had surgery took the bus to work and realized after getting there that they left their pain relievers and antibiotics at home. They might call and ask for someone to bring them the medication so that they don’t miss any doses.
Parents, siblings and friends may also ask someone to pick up medication and bring it to them or collect it from one location because they cannot currently do so. What starts as a small favor can lead to a major criminal matter for the person transporting medication.
It is illegal for anyone other than the prescription holder and licensed medical professionals to handle open prescription medication. It is possible for third parties to collect the sealed medication from a pharmacy or other licensed medical facility on behalf of the patient. However, once the patient opens the packaging or moves the medication to a different container, anyone else found with that medication could be at risk of prosecution.
The state may pursue charges of unlawful possession against an individual who has prescribed medication that belongs to someone else in their possession. Those charges can lead to criminal penalties and a lifetime criminal record. Just because a defendant can show that there is a reasonable explanation for their possession of the medication does not necessarily protect them from prosecution or a conviction.
Learning more about the strict rules that apply to controlled substances can help people avoid potentially criminal mistakes. Possessing or transporting medication that belongs to another person can be a crime, even if the party in possession of the medication has no intention to ingest the medication or transfer it to anyone other than the prescription holder.
