Notes

Illegally Used PRESCRIPTION DRUGS Risks
Recently we have had several clients present for psychotherapy treatment who are court stipulated to a drug program due to drug charges. Of course this is no real surprise. But what is surprising is the degree of charges and the customers we are seeing. For instance, among our clients could possibly be confused with just about any other hockey mom (perhaps a recently available exception). She is white, upper middle income, college educated, and working in a professional position. And although she's drug trafficking charges, which certainly are a felony, the drugs she had in her possession were for private use and were prescription (of course she didn't have a prescription). What is even more surprising is that she didn't have even a month's way to obtain the pain killer for someone for whom they could have been prescribed. The purpose of this article is to shed light on some of the risks becoming taken by those abusing prescription medications.

Prescription drug abuse is the number one cause of drug related death in Florida. According to a fresh York Times article dated June 14, 2008, the "Medical Examiners Commission found that the rate of deaths due to prescription drugs was 3 x the rate of deaths caused by all illicit drugs combined." (Cave, D.). Yet this is not enough to dissuade new users from trying, and becoming physically influenced by, prescription pain medications. Even high profile deaths including Heath Ledger and Anna Nicole Smith have little effect on those abusing the substance. This is largely due to substance abusers believing they are invulnerable and the false belief they have a feeling of control over their ingestion of substances.

Many who use or abuse opiate based pain medications aren't even alert to its dependence potential. Most pain medications are made from opium or a synthetic opiate, that is the same main ingredient in heroin. Although tolerance (the need for more of the substance to have the desired effect) and withdrawal (physical and psychological symptoms caused by the lack of the substance) take longer to develop in prescription medications, physical dependence can and often does develop. But the purpose of this short article would be to discuss drug law.


It is probably best to start with the lowest of crimes, simple possession of a substance. In this state the initial offense is around twelve months incarceration and a fine as high as $1000.00. https://diigo.com/0shrzh is incarceration for no less than 15 days no more than 2 years, and a minimum fine of $2500.00. A third offense results in at least 3 months in jail and no more than three years, and a minimum fine of $5000.00. The penalties for cocaine base are much harsher, and penalties may vary depending on the type of drug.

What's often misunderstood may be the difference between possession and trafficking. It would seem to the average reader that trafficking involves moving large levels of a substance, or at the very least selling it to another individual. This is not the case. Trafficking charges are often predicated on weight. The weight for trafficking prescription drugs is 28 grams. Now when Ethereal Paradox is applied to cocaine, it seems fair enough. 28 grams of cocaine will be a lot, and it might be reasonable to say this person is selling the drug. But 28 grams of a pain medication such as Percocet can be as little as 6 or 7 pills. And far of the weight of Percocet pills result from Tylenol. But when an individual is caught with prescription drugs that's not theirs, the intent is irrelevant to charges.

Trafficking charges, even for a first offense, can carry a penalty of up to 25 years in prison. Even when the sentence is lighter (probation, house arrest, treatment) the offender is labeled a felon for the others of their lives. This affects their rights, ability to get and keep maintaining employment, also to live a productive life.

In a social psychology class this author teaches on the psychology of substance abuse, unfair drug laws are often discussed. This is often in the disproportionate penalties facing minorities. This is best illustrated by the sentencing of crack, versus regular cocaine. To put it simply, crack penalties for one gram equate to 100 grams of powder cocaine. It is also a the point that 50% of our prison population is for non-violent drug offenses. It appears some of the sentencing laws are unfair.

I am not trying to excuse illicit and self destructive behavior. But to even consider sentencing someone dependent on pain medication or other prescription drugs to prison and otherwise seriously damaging their life seems harsh. If any reader is interested in being active in reducing these mandatory sentencing guidelines, they can contact FAMM, which works to improve a few of the unfair drug laws.

The purpose of this article is to educate readers and also require a member of family abusing prescription substances for some of the risks. These risks include possible physical dependence, overdose and death risk, and, what is often overlooked and may be the main point of this article, incarceration and felony conviction for even relatively small amounts of a medication with out a prescription.

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