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Prescription drugs provide individuals with the medicine necessary to overcome their illnesses. Unfortunately, law enforcement may believe that certain individuals are engaging in illegal activity with these drugs, and a criminal charge as a result.
If you have been accused of illegally possessing prescription drugs, be sure to get in touch with a dedicated attorney. A Chattanooga prescription drug lawyer could review the details of your case and help you build a defense to help combat the charges made against you.
The opioid epidemic in Tennessee and the United States brought prescription drugs to the forefront of the conversation for law enforcement and district attorneys throughout the state. Due to the societal impact of opioid abuse in the local area, law enforcement tries to make an impact by getting prescription drugs off the streets and out of the wrong hands. The effort begins with the enforcement of prescription drug laws focusing on illegal possession by individuals who have opioids or other narcotics like Ritalin, Xanax, Valium, or Adderall unlawfully in their possession.
One way an individual can avoid a charge is to keep prescription pills in the original pill bottle with their name on it. Officers do not have a cause when someone has a valid prescription contained in an appropriate container. It is imperative that when a person has a prescription, they follow this rule when carrying their prescription drugs in a public place.
Law enforcement is also working to eliminate distribution networks for many of the illegal narcotics that are otherwise lawfully prescribed as prescription drugs. This begins with wiretaps and undercover operations of doctor’s offices, sometimes known as pill mills.
A person having a prescription from their doctor on them when they encounter the police is not an issue. The key is that the pills in their possession are contained in a prescription bottle or other container with their name on it. If someone chooses to carry their pills in some other container like a seven-day pill container that tells them which day of the week to take what pills, they need to carry the prescription. They could scan the prescription to their phone where it is easily accessible to show law enforcement that they are lawfully prescribed to take that pill.
The best practice when going out in public is to keep the pills in their original pill bottle from the pharmacy. An individual avoids a great deal of unnecessary heartache, time, or handcuffs and jail when they follow this simple rule. Failing to keep pills in their prescription bottle is a crime and can be charged, though it is not often charged when that is the case. However, it is enough to arrest someone under suspicion of having illegal narcotics in their possession.
Other states like Georgia treat prescription drug offenses as a felony from the beginning. Chattanooga and Tennessee are different in that there is potential misdemeanor treatment for small amounts of illegally possessed prescription drugs. Drug court programs, diversion programs, and other alternatives in sentencing could help one avoid a conviction.
An experienced prescription drug attorney is able to examine the individual’s case, negotiate with the prosecution, and present the underlying story of their situation to the local court in a way that gives the defendant the best chance at avoiding conviction or minimizing the impact of any potential punishment they may face.
Prescription drug crimes can be treated very harshly. Having an experienced attorney at your side can be helpful when trying to navigate potential outcomes when faced with a prescription drug charge in Tennessee.
A Chattanooga prescription drugs attorney can help you set goals and discuss the strategy to achieve those goals. Though it may be tempting to handle this case alone, you need to make it a priority to work with an attorney with experience handling these types of cases. To get started, be sure to schedule a consultation.