Author: Charles Frank
3 Ways to Report Illegal Drug Activity
Others are victims of drug dealers, who target them for their prescriptions. And in some cases, caregivers and family members are pilfering their medications for profit or to feed their own addictions. If the person selling their prescription drugs is a doctor or healthcare professional, it is important to report them to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). This will ensure that the individual is investigated and that appropriate action is taken. Additionally, it is important to provide the DEA with any evidence collected, such as photos or videos.
And even licensed healthcare professionals can’t knowingly sell or give prescription drugs to someone who doesn’t have a legitimate need or a valid prescription for them. Both federal and state laws govern the sale of prescription drugs. When someone sells them illegally, they usually commit a felony, and the consequences can be harsh.
Prescription drugs are powerful substances that should only be used as directed by a doctor. Unfortunately, some individuals choose to sell their prescription drugs in order to make a profit. This can be dangerous, as the drug may not be used properly and could cause serious physical harm or even death. In this article, we’ll discuss how to report someone selling their prescription drugs, and what steps you should take to ensure that the person is held accountable. Some sell their pills due to a financial crisis or to make ends meet.
This will help to ensure that these prescription drugs are not getting into the wrong hands and that those who are in need of the medication can get the help that they need. The first step in reporting someone selling their prescription drugs is to collect evidence. This can include taking pictures or videos of the person in the act of selling, getting statements from any witnesses, and obtaining any other relevant information. It is important to remember that the evidence must be solid and not just hearsay.
What should I do if I suspect someone is selling prescription drugs illegally?
You should also seek medical attention and speak with a lawyer if necessary. Additionally, you may be eligible for compensation or other forms of assistance, depending on the laws of your jurisdiction. Report a website that you think is illegally selling human drugs, animal drugs, medical devices, biological products, foods, dietary supplements or cosmetics. Licensed medical professionals review material we publish on our site. The material is not a substitute for qualified medical diagnoses, treatment, or advice. It should not be used to replace the suggestions of your personal physician or other health care professionals.
- Prescription drugs are powerful substances that should only be used as directed by a doctor.
- The illegal sale of prescription drugs includes any sale of prescription drugs without a valid prescription from a licensed medical professional.
- Walsh said older Americans who sell their prescriptions do not operate like traditional drug dealers.
- However, if they are abusing prescription drugs, such as hydrocodone or oxycodone, their life is at stake.
With defendants who are health care professionals or pharmacists, a prosecutor would have to prove that the defendant intentionally wrote or filled bogus prescriptions. Beginning in the late 1990s the U.S. saw a major increase in opioid misuse. During that time, drug manufacturers convinced many doctors that the drugs were non-addictive, even though in reality, they were highly addictive. Many well-intentioned doctors began prescribing opioids to patients with chronic pain. Despite the drug companies’ promises, addiction rates began climbing.
Determining Whether There is Illegal Activity
A national tip line is available 24/7, and the program also operates out of local offices. Witnesses to drug crimes can make an anonymous phone call or fill out an online form. Another thing you can do to report someone who is abusing prescription drugs is to contact the pharmacy where they are getting their medications. Depending on which pharmacist you speak with, they may refuse to fill the prescriptions any longer or they may make a note to that patient’s doctor as well.
Both have websites and phone numbers to anonymously report drug activity or submit tips through a hotline. Austin Serb, a convicted drug dealer in Boise, Idaho, said he knew many older people who sold their prescriptions. A patient who is prescribed three pills a day can make up to $3,600 a month selling them, Serb said. “It’s too tempting, especially if they need the money,” Serb wrote from federal prison in Colorado.
Above are some of the ways you can report someone who is abusing prescription drugs. Hopefully, that will allow you to do all you can for your loved one, friend, boss, employee, or someone else you know. In some cases, it may be necessary to contact the pharmacy where the person was selling the drugs. This will alert them to the fact that someone is selling their prescription drugs and will help to ensure that it does not happen again.
Reporting Someone Selling Prescription Drugs
If you are unsure who to contact, you can also report the individual to the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy. Making matters exponentially worse, throughout the early 2000s, bogus “pain management clinics” sprang up. These “pill mills” were run by licensed healthcare professionals who cashed in on the addiction crisis by writing (and sometimes also filling) thousands of unnecessary prescriptions. The pills they prescribed often made their way directly into the street drug trade.
Although there’s been a crackdown at the federal and state level, the opioid epidemic took many lives and ruined many more. The problem is far from eradicated, and opioid addiction remains a huge problem. The flow of opioids from older Americans to the street isn’t always at a profit.
If the evidence is weak, it may not be possible to pursue legal action. If you know someone who is abusing prescription drugs, it might be the best decision to report them. If they are your loved one or friend, you may think you are betraying them.
The truth is the doctor can’t tell you anything about their patients, even if it is your loved one, unless you are on the contact list. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t talk to the doctor and just have them listen to you. This allows them to test the levels of drugs in their patient’s system, to make sure they aren’t abusing them. If you want to report someone who is abusing prescription drugs, you can make a call to the prescribing doctor. Submitting this complaint may encourage the doctor to run a drug test or to wean that patient off from the prescription.
Capt. Steve Arthur of the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office in Alabama said he sees few cases in which older people set out to sell drugs. More often, drug dealers recruit them, either with threats or promises of money, to get prescriptions that they later sell at a steep markup. And in some cases, fraudulent or careless prescribing has left older patients with more opioid pills than they need. Finally, it is important to seek support if you have been affected by someone selling their prescription drugs. This can include speaking to a therapist or counselor, or joining a support group. Additionally, it is important to remember that you are not alone and that there are people who can help.