part 4 of 4
4. No Really, I Have a Prescription (not pot)
Let’s say you have a medical condition (don’t we all?) such as Restless Leg Syndrome (http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/restless_legs/detail_restless_legs.htm). One of the treatments for this condition is the prescription drug Xanax. Now, let’s say that you’re going on a weekend trip to Rockport (I hear it’s great this time of year). You don’t want to lug around your prescription bottle along with your vitamin supplements, ginseng, daily aspirin, etc. So you go to the local CVS (love those guys) and buy one of those little stylish pill cases http://www.cvs.com/shop/product-detail/CVS-Fashion-Pill-Case?skuId=460701. Problem solved, right?
Nope. Guess what? You have just now exposed yourself to being arrested for Possession or a Controlled Substance (felony or misdemeanor) or Possession of a Dangerous Drug (misdemeanor) depending upon the actual drug and amount. You see, when something happens that causes the officer to find this pill case (see Rule #1), he/she will not believe you when you tell them that you have a prescription. They may not even believe you if you have the actual prescription pad sheet on you, which doesn’t happen much these days because it is either kept by the pharmacist or the doctor calls in the prescription to your local CVS (did I mention that I love those guys?).
Now, I’m not saying that you’re going to be convicted of it. Having a valid prescription for the medication is an absolute defense in a case like this. But guess what? You will only be able to make that defense after you’ve been arrested, after you have gotten out of jail, after you have hired a lawyer, and after you’ve gone to court. While it is inconvenient (and a bit ridiculous) to carry around your pill bottle with all of your pills (see below), it is really the only sure way to avoid getting arrested for having your own medication on you.
On a side note, let’s say you’re meeting your best friend down in Rockport. While there, your friend discovers that they secretly have a pathological fear of calm ocean waves and they go into an immediate anxiety attack. Being the good person, you offer said friend one of your Xanax, because they need it and you’re not about to make them wait and pay a ton of money for a visit to the ER where they’ll probably give your friend Xanax or something similar anyway. Guess what? The law now considers you a drug dealer. I’m not saying you shouldn’t do it, but just be aware. A little paranoia never hurts in these types of situations.
One last thing. Don’t empty out your prescription bottle and just take the two Xanax pills you’re going to need for the weekend. It’s far more practical to do that especially if you’re worried that prescription bottles are easy to see and can become targets of thieves. The problem is that the bottles have pill counts on the side along with the date you got them and the prescribed daily dosage. If/when you have your encounter with law enforcement, and they see that you have 2 pills in there when you should have 23, their first thought is that you are a drug dealer and the conversation is going to get a lot longer.
If it made sense, I wouldn’t have a job.
Let’s say you have a medical condition (don’t we all?) such as Restless Leg Syndrome (http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/restless_legs/detail_restless_legs.htm). One of the treatments for this condition is the prescription drug Xanax. Now, let’s say that you’re going on a weekend trip to Rockport (I hear it’s great this time of year). You don’t want to lug around your prescription bottle along with your vitamin supplements, ginseng, daily aspirin, etc. So you go to the local CVS (love those guys) and buy one of those little stylish pill cases http://www.cvs.com/shop/product-detail/CVS-Fashion-Pill-Case?skuId=460701. Problem solved, right?
Nope. Guess what? You have just now exposed yourself to being arrested for Possession or a Controlled Substance (felony or misdemeanor) or Possession of a Dangerous Drug (misdemeanor) depending upon the actual drug and amount. You see, when something happens that causes the officer to find this pill case (see Rule #1), he/she will not believe you when you tell them that you have a prescription. They may not even believe you if you have the actual prescription pad sheet on you, which doesn’t happen much these days because it is either kept by the pharmacist or the doctor calls in the prescription to your local CVS (did I mention that I love those guys?).
Now, I’m not saying that you’re going to be convicted of it. Having a valid prescription for the medication is an absolute defense in a case like this. But guess what? You will only be able to make that defense after you’ve been arrested, after you have gotten out of jail, after you have hired a lawyer, and after you’ve gone to court. While it is inconvenient (and a bit ridiculous) to carry around your pill bottle with all of your pills (see below), it is really the only sure way to avoid getting arrested for having your own medication on you.
On a side note, let’s say you’re meeting your best friend down in Rockport. While there, your friend discovers that they secretly have a pathological fear of calm ocean waves and they go into an immediate anxiety attack. Being the good person, you offer said friend one of your Xanax, because they need it and you’re not about to make them wait and pay a ton of money for a visit to the ER where they’ll probably give your friend Xanax or something similar anyway. Guess what? The law now considers you a drug dealer. I’m not saying you shouldn’t do it, but just be aware. A little paranoia never hurts in these types of situations.
One last thing. Don’t empty out your prescription bottle and just take the two Xanax pills you’re going to need for the weekend. It’s far more practical to do that especially if you’re worried that prescription bottles are easy to see and can become targets of thieves. The problem is that the bottles have pill counts on the side along with the date you got them and the prescribed daily dosage. If/when you have your encounter with law enforcement, and they see that you have 2 pills in there when you should have 23, their first thought is that you are a drug dealer and the conversation is going to get a lot longer.
If it made sense, I wouldn’t have a job.
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