Many drug crimes are spurred by addiction; those who have never suffered from this disease tend to underestimate the impact that it has on a person’s life. The sad part is that addiction can absolutely start with a trip to the doctor’s office.
The issue is that narcotic painkillers, while effective, are very addictive. People can take them legally, with a prescription, but taking them for too long or taking doses that are too high can turn this legal, helpful use into a full-fledged addiction that they just cannot overcome on their own.
Did you know that most doctors give out far too many painkillers? After all, the federal recommendations say that people should get enough narcotics to use them for three days. When asked if they followed that recommendation, a study found that a full 99 percent of doctors did not do so.
You may not know that your doctor is ignoring regulations and giving you more narcotics than you can handle. Most people simply assume that any decision a doctor makes is the right decision, that it is safe and has their best interests at heart. But if the doctor gives you painkillers for a month when you needed them for three days, and then you get addicted and have to start breaking the law to feed that addiction, how does that focus on your best interests?
In the end, that trip to the doctor’s office can lead to an arrest and serious jail time. Make sure that you understand all of the legal defense options you have in the face of these allegations.