When drug crimes are discussed, many people automatically think of crimes involving narcotics, marijuana, or other illegal drugs. However, there is an entire category specifically for prescription drug crimes. Let’s discuss some methods of committing prescription drug offenses.
Doctor Shopping
Prescription drug crimes are often committed through doctor shopping. Doctor shopping is when a patient goes to see multiple doctors in order to get numerous prescriptions. During the visit, they do not disclose that they already have a prescription for a certain medication in order to get the doctor to write a new script.
Doctor shopping is common in cases where the patient is suffering from substance abuse and is getting multiple prescriptions in order to always have access to the drug. It’s also common in cases where the patient is selling the drug and is visiting the doctors to get more supply.
This is a serious type of prescription drug crime. This felony can result in expensive fines and years of incarceration.
Giving Out Unprescribed Medications
Another type of prescription drug crime is distributing prescription medications to individuals with no valid prescription. If you give medication to someone other than who it was prescribed to, you can face serious consequences.
Forgery
Forged prescriptions may be recognized if:
The handwriting looks too clear and legitimate
The amount of drug requested is unusual or unsafe
The prescription does not use standard medical abbreviations
The patient appears frequently at the drug store to get a refill
Altering prescriptions is a often felony offense, punishable by jail time and fines.
Prescription Drug Defense in Columbus
At The Meranda Law Firm LTD, we have used a wide variety of defense strategies to help our clients facing drug crime charges. If you have recently been arrested for a prescription drug offense, give us a call at (614) 707-4239. We offer free initial case consultations so we can get a better understanding of your case and determine how to move forward. Click here to set up an appointment today.