I want to get a prescription for this medication that I am taking illegally…
I have been using a narcotic medication that I’ve gotten from friends, but I do not have a prescription myself. I realize that being in possession of this medication without a prescription is illegal and I could face criminal charges, so I want to try to get a prescription from my doctor. If I tell my doctor the right things that they need to hear, whether or not it’s true, to get a prescription, will I be safe from criminal charges?
Most people realize that being in possession of a controlled substance without a prescription is illegal. What people often do not realize is that there are also laws in Florida that make it illegal to obtain or attempt to obtain a prescription for a controlled substance by making false statements or misrepresentations, committing fraud or forgery, or through deception. This makes it illegal to lie to a doctor to obtain a prescription for a controlled substance. It is also illegal in Florida to withhold information from a practitioner who is prescribing you a controlled substance that you have already received a controlled substance or a prescription for a controlled substance of like therapeutic use from another practitioner within the previous thirty (30) days. This is intended to prevent “doctor shopping,” or the practice of obtaining multiple prescriptions from multiple doctors within the same timeframe.
Florida law also makes it illegal to affix a false or forged label onto a container that contains a controlled substance, or to be in the possession of a prescription form unless it has been signed by the practitioner whose name appears printed on it and it is filled out. This makes it illegal to be in possession of a physician’s prescription pad or a blank prescription form, even if you have not made any attempts to fill it out or to use it to obtain a medication. Engaging in any of the above-described actions is a third-degree felony punishable by up to five years in prison and a $5,000.00 fine. The best practice to avoid any criminal charges is, to be honest with your doctor about your medical needs and symptoms, to only possess medications you have a valid prescription for, and to not give any of your medication to anyone else.