Sharing medications may sound entirely innocent. One person has medication that may help a friend or a family member. They have this other person‘s best interests in mind, so they agree to share that medication when it appears that it would be helpful. Many people would do this without thinking twice.
But it becomes an issue if the medication was only obtained with an official prescription. If so, then it is a controlled substance. The only person who is allowed to possess that medication is the one who has the prescription. They’re also the only person who is allowed to use that medication, and they can’t transfer it to anyone else. This means that sharing medication is illegal and could lead to an arrest on drug distribution charges.
What if no money changes hands?
Most people understand that it is illegal to sell their prescription medications. Even if they have leftover pills after using prescription painkillers, they wouldn’t sell those to a third party. But they may give them to someone so that it’s clear they’re not trying to make money off of illegal drug sales. They’re just trying to help.
This can change the type of charges that a person would face, but it is important to know that money changing hands is not a prerequisite for these legal charges. Even sharing the medication for free is a violation of the law if that medication is a controlled substance. In other words, don’t assume that you can get out of the legal charges just because you gave someone else the medication for free.
If you are facing charges, it’s very important for you to understand all the legal options you have, especially when considering what a drug conviction may mean for your future.