Can you get into trouble for using someone else’s medication?

Can you get into trouble for using someone else’s medication?

On Behalf of | Jul 17, 2020 | Drug Charges

You had a horrible headache while you were at work. Your boss decided to let you head home early, so you went to the break room and gathered up your things. On your way out, a coworker stopped you and handed you a small bottle. She told you that there were a few Vicodin pills inside that you could have. She had them leftover from her ankle surgery.

You were happy to have something stronger to treat the pain than ibuprofen, so you took one and started the drive home. On the way, you ended up getting drowsy and nodded off. You were able to correct your vehicle before leaving the roadway, but an officer saw you serve and decided to pull you over. 

After seeing that you were unsafe to drive, the officer asked if you had taken any drugs. In your haze, you admitted that your coworker gave you a bottle of Vicodin. Now, you’re facing prescription drug charges. 

It is illegal to share prescription medications

What your co-worker did was actually illegal. At the same time, it’s also illegal to have possession of any drugs that were not prescribed to you. There are many reasons why these rules are in place, but you should know that if you get caught, you could face charges.

In your case, you have multiple pills of a controlled substance that don’t belong to you, and that doesn’t look good to the court. Even with a good reason, like treating a medical condition, you shouldn’t have any drugs that aren’t yours in your possession.

Your attorney can help you by looking into different defenses, challenging the legality of the traffic stop and negotiating a plea that will keep you out of jail. Mistakes happen, and you should defend yourself against unfair penalties for drug charges — especially if you made an innocent mistake.