At some point in your life, a doctor may have written you a prescription, advising you to take a particular drug to help treat a certain health condition. Perhaps you suffer from a chronic illness that causes constant pain and discomfort. If so, then you may be familiar with drugs like Oxycodone.
The problem is that a doctor’s recommendation doesn’t guarantee that you will not have any adverse effects from taking prescription medication. In fact, even though doctors typically prescribe some drugs to help with certain conditions, every person’s body and the way a body reacts to drugs is unique; therefore, a drug that works well for one person may have adverse effects on another.
Prescription drugs can be highly addictive
One of the greatest risks involved with prescription drugs is that many of them are highly addictive. Once your body gets used to the effects of a particular narcotic, amphetamine or other drug, it begins to crave it, which can lead to serious substance abuse problems. The following drugs are among those most often associated with addiction and with criminal drug charges as well:
- Codeine, morphine and Oxycodone are the most common types of opioid drugs. These and other opioids are strong narcotics that doctors often prescribe to help alleviate pain.
- Depressant drugs often include various types of barbiturates. Such drugs act as tranquilizers and supposedly have a calming effect.
- Stimulant drugs have the opposite effect of central nervous system depressants. These drugs supposedly increase energy and alertness.
Misusing these or other prescription drugs can have disastrous effects, including nausea, seizures, mental confusion, vision problems, hallucinations and a propensity toward violence or suicidal thoughts.
Legal issues related to prescription drugs
You may wind up in trouble with the law if police accuse you of any of the following activities:
- If you use a prescription drug that was intended for another person, you may face illegal drug possession charges.
- If you manufacture, sell, buy or transport illegal drugs, you risk losing your freedom and facing substantial fines as well as extended time in prison if the court convicts you of a drug crime.
- You cannot share a prescription your doctor wrote for you with anyone else. Even if you do not accept any money for the drug, you can face criminal charges for illegal drug activity.
If a Washington police officer arrests you on suspected drug crimes, it doesn’t necessarily mean you will face conviction, but it likely means you’ll have your work cut out for you to try to avoid it. If you know where to seek help, you may be able to mitigate your circumstances and avoid worst-case scenarios.