This concept of prescription drug abuse has to do with those individuals who are either given prescription medication for some ailment that they have and they end up getting addicted to it and abusing it and getting as much as they can — that's one form of prescription abuse.

Another form is that an individual just decides that they want to use prescription drugs in order to feel good, help the pain that they have or just because they're simply addicted to the prescription medication.

Doctor Shopping

When you're abusing it, obviously you're using too much of it and a lot of things that you see is people going to multiple doctors to get as much of the prescription medication they can get, and then they are getting a much larger supply than what they're supposed to.  Sometimes we see the person getting this because they're using way too much which destroys their body and this abuse can have a very harmful effect on them.

Another reason we see them getting it is they could be using it themselves or they could be selling it or giving it away to other people.  So, they're abusing the prescription drugs in that respect as well.

The law and society have really become more accepting of those individuals who are addicts who abuse prescription medication — who abuse any type of drugs — and they really don't think that they're the type of people that belong in jail or prison, but they're more in need of help.

The problem that the prosecutors and judges see with this concept is that a lot of people that are using and selling drugs are also involved in other crimes.

Committing Other Crimes To Support Addiction

These other crimes that people get involved with because they are abusing prescription medication can be much more serious.  They will start dealing in order to support their drug addiction.  They'll even become involved in violent felonies in support of their prescription or drug addiction.

So, that's the problem.  People lose their inhibitions because of the drug use and do things they might not ordinarily do because they don't perceive the danger.  They don't perceive that they're hurting other people.

They don't perceive that they're putting themselves in a position to be arrested, not only for prescription abuse or drug abuse, but for more serious crimes that can impact the rest of their lives.

So, this is why it's so important that if you are involved with prescription abuse that you seek help.  Some of the help that's available for people who are involved in prescription medication abuse are out-patient programs where they're able to still carry a job, still be at home and then they go to classes maybe once or twice a week or every day of the week depending on their level of addiction.

Other times what is available is residential treatment programs.  A lot of times these are paid for by medical insurance.  They could be paid for by the county.  A person could pay for them privately themselves.

Residential Treatment Program

Usually where I'm seeing a situation where somebody is getting a residential treatment program where they're not able to get out and they have to stay in for a period of time — 60 days, 90 days, 180 days, even a year.

That person is obviously much addicted to drugs than the average person and that person that is getting this residential program is also looking at jail time.  So, instead of going to jail, they're going to go ahead and get help for the root of their problem and get into a residential treatment program.

So, no matter what your prescription is, getting an attorney to help you guide you through the process, through the system, is going to be the best for you to get you out of the system as fast as possible and keep you out of custody, and also finally protect your criminal record. You may be eligible for a diversion program.