Maryland Prescription Drug Lawyer
The abuse of prescription drugs has become prevalent in Maryland, and prescription drug cases are extremely serious. Maryland law enforcement has recently made prescription drug charges a priority. There are ways that people have gone about getting drugs and continue to do so. It becomes somewhat destructive. It plays into a life cycle of going from one drug to the next progressively if they cannot get their hands on a prescription drug. When abused for recreational purposes, prescription drugs can be equally dangerous as non-prescription drugs.
These are serious charges. A knowledgeable Maryland prescription drug lawyer can help lessen the severity of these consequences. Since illegal prescription drug possession has become an epidemic, law enforcement is making drug charges a priority. It is crucial to consult with a skilled and experienced Maryland drug lawyer to begin building a criminal defense.
Prescription Drug Offenses
Prescription drug charges are serious and sometimes that shocks people. Many people believe that if the prescription, they are legally allowed to have it on them. The issues that have come off with regards to having illegally obtained these drugs, stolen these drugs, or false prescription is becoming somewhat of an epidemic. People deal opiates on a regular basis that are prescribed by doctors to get people who are in pain out of pain. There is no exit strategy. They do not do anything to help people through it when they are done, so people are left there with a drug craving and one way to feed a drug craving is with drugs. It has become not only a very big issue but one that is catching a lot of more attention than people expect. It is a regularly prosecuted problem.
Carrying a Prescription
If someone is carrying prescription drugs, they should carry the prescription with them. Someone can be charged if they do not carry the original prescription with them. For instance, if a person was given Tylenol with codeine, it is a prescription drug. If a person had work done on their teeth and they know to take a couple of pills with them during the day to take as prescribed, but they take them out of their vial and travels with them, they now have drugs on their person. There is a question as to whether a person should or should not. Percocet and Oxy are examples of things that people would regularly carry with them or put on their persons that they think are doing it legally, may not. Even if it has been prescribed to them, an individual has to carry it the way they are supposed to. If a person does not, it could be a major issue.
Proof of Prescription
If a person comes in with a legally valid prescription that shows where they were prescribed and they are using them the way that they should, they were doing as they should. For example, if they were given 90 pills to take twice a day and they are 40 days in and have 50 pills left, they add it up and it counts true. Then, they were doing what they were supposed to do. The person just had them in the way that they should not have been carrying them.
However, if they were given the same 90-day fill-up and 10 days in they have five pills left, then law enforcement is going to question where the rest of the pills went. Law enforcement will ask if the person is abusing them or selling them. That is where law enforcement starts to focus because people can always get prescriptions. The question is whether they are using them in the way that they were prescribed. Law enforcement needs to determine if the person is correctly using and carrying their prescription drugs.
Prescription Drug Cases in Courts
The courts treat prescription drug cases harshly. They are no different than drug cases for having drugs on a person. It is still a drug and may be prescribed, but it is being abused no different than any type of controlled dangerous substance. These are CDS-related. These are controlled dangerous substances, so they are prosecuting them just as they would any other drugs. Perhaps a little bit more of a focus on treatment is needed and getting it out of a person’s system, making them less reliant on a drug is going to be important, but a focus that should stay with most of these cases.
Evidence for Cases
Since this charge ranges from a misdemeanor to felony depending on whatever the judge specifies as the crime and the classification. The minimum sentence for a possession by obtaining drugs, fraud, or labeled instruction in a prescription drug is $1,000. The maximum possible sentence is four years of incarceration and a $25,000 fine. A person has a wide range of penalties. The questions with regards to what they are looking at are, “Is someone selling their prescription drugs?” or “Did the individual get them illegally?” That means they were carrying a prescribed drug, but the person had it or obtained in some fashion that is illegal.
The other one is called doctor shopping where someone goes to several different doctors to get the same prescription filled and written multiple times. A lot of them are usually caught by someone’s insurance or through the state, but that is what people have done. In some ways, they are addicted, but in other ways, it is that they were getting them so they can sell them. There is an attraction to the state to stem that issue and prosecute as many of these cases as they can to make sure it does not become a continuous issue.
Contacting an Attorney
When an individual is charged with a prescription drug crime, they should seek a prescription drug lawyer. A local Maryland prescription drug lawyer understands that particular jurisdiction and can convince a judge or jury to decide in their client’s favorability.
A drug charge can create confusing, especially if you do not have a prior criminal record. Contacting a legal team can ensure you receive the legal counsel you deserve. If you are facing charges for carrying or misusing prescription drugs, consult with a Maryland prescription drug lawyer. Understand your rights, and start building your case today. This process can be confusing, so there are many benefits of having an attorney to represent you in court.