Don’t make the mistake of committing a prescription drug crime


You love being at college. It’s a great experience, and you’ve met a lot of wonderful people.

Recently, a fellow student asked you if you wanted to buy some of their medications while you were out at a restaurant together. They had prescription hydrocodone, also known as Vicodin, which they thought could help you with a recent ankle injury. Your medical provider had refused such a strong pain reliever, even though you were complaining about pain.

You didn’t think anything would be wrong with buying a few pills to get you through the worst of the pain, so you agreed. What you both didn’t think about is who might have overheard you. Not more than a few minutes later, an officer in plain clothing approached you and arrested you both for the drug transaction.

Prescription drug crimes like this can still lead to significant trouble with the law. When prescription is written, it is only intended to be given to the person the medical provider has seen. The prescription’s dose is designed for that person, so giving it to someone else who may be smaller, for example, could be dangerous. Similarly, someone who hasn’t taken a medication before could be allergic or take too much, leading to serious consequences.

What should you do if you’re offered drugs?

Whether you have a prescription for the same medications or not, you should not accept any medications that aren’t yours. Prescriptions are written only for the person they were intended for, including the quantity given. If you buy prescription medications, you could face an arrest and be charged with drug crimes.

Our website has more on drug charges and what you should do if you’re arrested.