Many Florida residents know people who regularly take prescription drugs. However, it’s not only a bad idea to share your prescription with another person; it’s also illegal.
Never share your prescription drugs with others
Even if you believe it’s harmless to allow a friend to share your prescription drugs, it’s unwise and carries serious risks. Your friend might share some of the same symptoms you experienced that led to the prescription being given to you. However, if they haven’t been diagnosed by a doctor or the severity of the condition hasn’t been assessed, taking someone else’s prescription might be doing more harm than good. Some people require different doses of medication than others or shorter or longer duration of the drug.
Sharing prescription drugs is also illegal. There are both state and federal laws that make it a crime to share prescriptions. Certain types of drugs are considered controlled substances, so sharing them could have serious legal consequences.
Risks of sharing prescription drugs
In addition to the criminal aspects of it, there are also many risks to sharing prescription drugs. There is a higher risk of addiction to certain types of drugs. Opioids are one of the best examples of that. While they are legally prescribed to help ease a patient’s chronic pain, they may be highly addictive even when taken properly. If someone shares their prescription with another person, that risk might be even higher.
Taking prescription drugs meant for someone else can increase a person’s risk of abusing other, hard drugs in the future. For example, individuals who share prescription opioids may be more likely to try heroin, another opioid drug.
There are often serious side effects associated with certain prescription drugs. If someone is sharing another person’s medication, they may not have any information about the drug. For example, anti-anxiety drugs can cause side effects like slowing a person’s heart rate and breathing rate, which can be dangerous for some.
