Prescription medications are legal, which may give people a false sense of security when using those medications. Some people assume that they can't get in trouble for a drug if they have a prescription for it or have had a prescription for it in the past.

However, many people who get arrested for drug charges did not have a banned drug, but rather illegally possessed or illegally consumed prescription medication. When does your possession or use of a prescribed drug put you at risk of criminal charges?

When the medication does not belong to you

Perhaps the most straightforward reason why you could get arrested for having a prescription drug is that it is someone else's medication. Even if you have had a prescription for the same drug in the past, using someone else's medication is a violation of controlled substances laws that could lead to charges if you get caught with those pills.

When you take the medication before driving

One of the easiest ways for even your own prescription to land you in legal hot water is to get behind the wheel of a car after taking it. If a medication has an impact on your motor function or cognition, you should not drive after taking it. The state can prosecute people for impaired driving even if the drug was a legal prescription taken as ordered by the doctor.

Transferring your medication to other people is another way to put yourself at risk of drug charges. Recognizing how a prescription medication could lead to drug charges can help you make better decisions with your medicine, and you must know your rights if you are facing charges.