Your college student came home to visit and got sick or exhibited certain behaviors. You gave him or her your prescription medication from when you had the same issue, and your child went back to school.
However, you have become worried that your child could get in trouble if caught with your prescription bottle. Could criminal charges or the like actually happen? The answer is yes.
There is potential for abuse
The reality is that many people can and do become addicted to prescription drugs, and they may abuse the drugs. That is a big reason why people who are found to be carrying prescriptions not their own could get in legal trouble. Sometimes, they have even stolen these prescriptions or plan to sell the pills.
In this case, you gave the prescription freely to your child. No money exchanged hands, but there could still be trouble. The same idea applies if it was your child's friend or another relative who had the medication in the first place. In fact, officials could argue that your child planned to sell the pills left over after he or she got better.
Medical conditions can be tricky
Another reason it is illegal to possess someone's else's prescription is that it can be medically risky. For example, one person may respond well to a drug such as OxyContin, while another experiences serious side effects that require immediate attention. Similarly, two cases of back pain might seem almost the same, but a doctor taking patients' histories and making diagnoses might prescribe different medications to these patients.
Going to the doctor is best
If your child comes home from college and needs medication for whatever reason, the best course of action is to take him or her to the doctor. Authorities and college officials in Oklahoma have gotten serious about the potential for prescription drug abuse, and it is good to minimize the risks of going afoul.
