Having drugs without a prescription on person

[scottodono]

Say hypothetically one was arrested for something like drunk driving and they had a pill case with pills they obtained by mail from India, something non-controlled like sildenafil citrate - is it illegal to be caught with it ?

 

[2005cbr1000rr]

It absolutely is illegal to get caught with pills you don't have a script for.
Don't say anything without talking to a lawyer first.
The police aren't going to go any easier on you if you tell them where you got the pills. Keep quite and don't give them anything they can use against you in court.

 

[scottodono]

Fortunately it has not happened, but I always walk around with a pill case of split pills a variety of herbal supplements, vitamins , legit prescription meds, plus some oversea ED drugs that of course I do not have a script for... I think I am going to rethink this routine, you never know

 

[medi1]

Of course it's illegal to have any controlled medication on your person withought a perscription.
I agree with @2005cbr about not saying anything untill you have spoken to a lawyer. I am so Hoping for you that you're just curious and that hasn't happened to you!?
Just read your update that it hasn't happened to you

 

[scottodono]

Yeah, the thing is I always thought of drugs like Xanax and Ambien as controlled, not drugs like Viagra. Also there are certain pills people need to have on them all the time, is it necessary to have them in there original bottles.... this may be easy for females who carry a bag, but a little more difficult for men

 

[medi1]

@scottodono Yeah I think you would need to have the neds in their original bottles. However If the police ever caught you withViagra I would imagine they would go easy on you and maybe a warning.

 

[scottodono]

@scottodono Yeah I think you would need to have the neds in their original bottles. However If the police ever caught you withViagra I would imagine they would go easy on you and maybe a warning.

I think they would go "hard" on me.

Sorry, could not resist the opening for a joke - like the time one got caught in my throat and I got a stiff neck =)

 

[Mira]

I think they would go "hard" on me.

Sorry, could not resist the opening for a joke - like the time one got caught in my throat and I got a stiff neck =)

LOL

Carrying ANY prescription medicine without the prescription bottle is illegal even if you have said bottle at home. A while back, the daughter of a member got caught with 2 hydros or something on her without the bottle. She had the bottle at home but it still created a legal mess for her. Controlled or not, it is illegal and they can charge you even for 1 pill. I hate to say it but small town USA may be more susceptible to that than big city USA. In my own experience, I was caught with 6 bags of heroin and the cop ripped them open discarded the contents and sent me on my way. Those same 6 bags found on someone in a small town could be the bust of the month. Its really not worth the risk but many people carry a pill or two anyway. Those travel med packets are good for some things....

 

[scottodono]

Wow, caught with 6 bags of heroin... we really share here, lol.

My issue is how do cops (or customs officials, foreign cops) distinguish between say a vitamin, an OTC Zantac, or a prescription ? Do they run it through a pill identifier ? I shop at Costco so my multivitamin bottle is huge, there is no way I can bring that thing when I'm traveling.

 

[Stevo1]

@scottodono Yeah I think you would need to have the neds in their original bottles. However If the police ever caught you withViagra I would imagine they would go easy on you and maybe a warning.

I guess you didn't hear about a famous athlete who got pulled over in Florida. They found viagra with out a script and he was charged!

 

[Mira]

Wow, caught with 6 bags of heroin... we really share here, lol.

My issue is how do cops (or customs officials, foreign cops) distinguish between say a vitamin, an OTC Zantac, or a prescription ? Do they run it through a pill identifier ? I shop at Costco so my multivitamin bottle is huge, there is no way I can bring that thing when I'm traveling.

haha, yeah. There are a few of us here that are fairly open about our history with addiction. The entire experience, although it was over 20 years ago, is still a part of me and what makes me ME. I dont really talk about it IRL but there have been threads here where the experience has come in handy.

As for what happens in a traffic stop where a pill is found, well, if there are no markings, they can confiscate it and send it to a lab. If it comes back as a potassium supplement, no problem. If it comes back as any prescription med then they can charge you. The one time that I did get arrested for possession, they called it "suspicion of..." and in about 2 weeks, the charge was upgraded to possession of what it was. I think it really all depends on the officer that pulls you over and where you're located when it happens. Some cops dont want to be bothered or consider it more of an annoyance but other cops are gung ho defenders of society and all and will make it a big deal. Unfortunately, you never know which kind of cop is flashing his lights at you to pull you over.

Like I mentioned above, many people wander around with a pill or two in their possession without any issue.

 

[LeviDenim]

I keep all my scheduled meds in bottles that are legit prescriptions from USA doctors when on the road via car.

About 20 years ago a local small town cop busted 3 friends that were partying in a car at a bar one of the three worked at. The cop had reasonable rights to search them all and the car because the weed was on the dashboard.
Caught one of the three with a couple of Valium pills and added that to his charges and it is now on his record.

I have also seen my wife get pulled over and she is on several meds and has one of those pill organizers. He looked at it and did not even open it. Wrote her a speeding ticket and off we went.
IMO the bottom line is to play it safe. Only travel with pills that you absolutely have to for daily stuff around town. If the pill(s) are not needed during the daily routine leave them at home. If somebody has to to carry a prescription med daily and can't get a scrip for it then find a very good place to stash them to avoid any rotten charges and the expense of dealing with them.

 

[Raspberry]

Anything controlled is a big no-no and you will get in trouble if you get caught. I personally have never been pulled over and searched, or patted down. I don't look suspicious. It could happen but I don't think it is a big huge worry to have an ED pill in your possession. If it came down to it, the cop would probably ask you what it was and you would tell them and that would be about it. It isn't a drug that is a threat to national security.

The famous athlete from Florida could have been a problem in some way that they couldn't prove so they charged him with what they could. Maybe they caught him with 10 kinds of illegal drugs and they only charged him on the ED drug. They may have wanted to make an example of him. I am making this up but there were circumstances in that one case. It wouldn't typically be a huge thing to worry about. If I were caught with that, then I would be about as worried as if I was carrying an inhaler or an epi-pen. They could make an issue of it if they really wanted to. It wouldn't be a threat to the safety of the community.

 

[rascali]

If you have an encounter with police that has reached the "search" stage, then they are looking for any and every justification for their rummaging around your person and belongings. The attitude is collect all the possible charges, and let the lawyers sort it all out. At that pint you will be charged for Tic-tacs floating around the bottom of your glove compartment, chia seeds and beer straws!

 

[Landon 2460]

Yes it's absolutely illegal, about 10 yrs ago I had never been in any trouble at all other then 9mph over the speed limit when I was 18 and I got pulled over on my way home from work and had one of my med bottles and had 2 of each, Adderall,Xanax,perks 1 ambein 1 Viagra and 1 Cialis in the same bottle. Thing is my line of work it's hard to carry a bunch of bottles around full of meds and I had been doing this for 10+ yrs and honestly since they were all prescribed to me had no clue I was breaking the law. I had my bottle stolen out of my truck multiple times so I'd just take x amount in one bottle and before u ask no didn't need the Viagra or Cialis at work lol but they was put in there as a just to have Incase I didn't end up at home that night type of thing. I was charged with 7 felonys and arrested and given a 90,000 bond. Long long story short since I took proof that everything on me was prescribed to me it all got dropped except illegal transportation and even tho it was all dropped I spent almost 10,000 to get out of jail and another 5 on a lawyer and in the end other then rapped of money got a pop on the wrist so no never take any prescription pill in a car unless in the original bottle or hide very well lol. I had mine in the seat and honestly never for all those yrs had a clue I was breaking any laws

 

[scottodono]

Yes it's absolutely illegal, about 10 yrs ago I had never been in any trouble at all other then 9mph over the speed limit when I was 18 and I got pulled over on my way home from work and had one of my med bottles and had 2 of each, Adderall,Xanax,perks 1 ambein 1 Viagra and 1 Cialis in the same bottle. Thing is my line of work it's hard to carry a bunch of bottles around full of meds and I had been doing this for 10+ yrs and honestly since they were all prescribed to me had no clue I was breaking the law. I had my bottle stolen out of my truck multiple times so I'd just take x amount in one bottle and before u ask no didn't need the Viagra or Cialis at work lol but they was put in there as a just to have Incase I didn't end up at home that night type of thing. I was charged with 7 felonys and arrested and given a 90,000 bond. Long long story short since I took proof that everything on me was prescribed to me it all got dropped except illegal transportation and even tho it was all dropped I spent almost 10,000 to get out of jail and another 5 on a lawyer and in the end other then rapped of money got a pop on the wrist so no never take any prescription pill in a car unless in the original bottle or hide very well lol. I had mine in the seat and honestly never for all those yrs had a clue I was breaking any laws

They were on your seat. So in plain view of site of officer writing ticket? If they were in say a glove box, for a normal traffic violation I am presuming it is doubtful they would search your glove box. Possibly a DUI or drug pull over.

 

[Landon 2460]

Yes in between my bucket seats sitting in a cubby hole, Had I knew at the time it was a felony for each pill including the ED drugs then I of course would've either not had them, had them in the correct bottles or hidden where they would've had to tear the truck apart to find them. Wasn't charged with a DUI/DWI or anything even tho when ask had I took any of my meds that day I said yes but again I had no clue I was doing anything wrong because they were all mine and even had the bags they came in from the pharmacy with each bag listed the med my name because I had sent to the doc the day before and just stuck them in there because it was a convenient place at the time. Knowing what I know now it was fcking stupid of me from start to finish and I'm just letting others know that may not know don't do it and this includes the 7 day pill planner where u put each day's pills for the week in it is same thing illegal transportation and felony for each different pill in Georgia. Again just for those that don't know. Maybe it will save someone alot of trouble and money

 

[scottodono]

Yes in between my bucket seats sitting in a cubby hole, Had I knew at the time it was a felony for each pill including the ED drugs then I of course would've either not had them, had them in the correct bottles or hidden where they would've had to tear the truck apart to find them. Wasn't charged with a DUI/DWI or anything even tho when ask had I took any of my meds that day I said yes but again I had no clue I was doing anything wrong because they were all mine and even had the bags they came in from the pharmacy with each bag listed the med my name because I had sent to the doc the day before and just stuck them in there because it was a convenient place at the time. Knowing what I know now it was fcking stupid of me from start to finish and I'm just letting others know that may not know don't do it and this includes the 7 day pill planner where u put each day's pills for the week in it is same thing illegal transportation and felony for each different pill in Georgia. Again just for those that don't know. Maybe it will save someone alot of trouble and money

Ironically I am in Georgia too

 

[Mira]

They were on your seat. So in plain view of site of officer writing ticket? If they were in say a glove box, for a normal traffic violation I am presuming it is doubtful they would search your glove box. Possibly a DUI or drug pull over.

Thats kind of splitting hairs, dont you think?
Not everyone has a squeeky clean background and lets face it, some cops are jerks. (there are some really good ones too) If it turns up that you (not really YOU but a general you) have a warrant for your arrest from some unpaid traffic citation 12 years ago, they can search your car and that includes your glove compartment.
I get what you're saying about plain view versus not plain view but really, if they want to search, they will and telling them no you do not consent means nothing. You wont be allowed in your car while you wait for the drug dog and/or warrant to arrive.

Its really not worth it in any way shape or form to keep stuff like that in your car because all it takes is one time for things to go wrong. I'm not a paranoid type but I dont carry meds in my car. If you have to have them with you for various reasons, there are ways to conceal them so that at a cursory glance, they would not be detected.
On the other hand, some people just like the risk involved and do it anyway without precaution. I used to love driving past a cop after I had just scored and mentally stick my tongue out at them. I was so stupid. To each their own I guess.

 

[scottodono]

Thats kind of splitting hairs, dont you think?
Not everyone has a squeeky clean background and lets face it, some cops are jerks. (there are some really good ones too) If it turns up that you (not really YOU but a general you) have a warrant for your arrest from some unpaid traffic citation 12 years ago, they can search your car and that includes your glove compartment.
I get what you're saying about plain view versus not plain view but really, if they want to search, they will and telling them no you do not consent means nothing. You wont be allowed in your car while you wait for the drug dog and/or warrant to arrive.

No I don't think it is splitting hairs at all. While many people do not have squeaky clean records, the majority (perhaps a majority more narrow than I would have thought) of the population do. The assumption that the majority of the population do not have a criminal record or even outstanding unpaid/unaddressed traffic violations is a safe one. While it does not apply to all people, and may not apply to you, certainly a grandmother with a pill case in her pocketbook that is not out in the open, on the seat or in a cup holder, that gets pulled over for not signaling will have any issue - it is doubtful that the officer is going to even look in her bag or question it. Yes, some might argue the slight chance is not worth the risk, and there is merit to that.

Its really not worth it in any way shape or form to keep stuff like that in your car because all it takes is one time for things to go wrong. I'm not a paranoid type but I dont carry meds in my car. If you have to have them with you for various reasons, there are ways to conceal them so that at a cursory glance, they would not be detected.
On the other hand, some people just like the risk involved and do it anyway without precaution. I used to love driving past a cop after I had just scored and mentally stick my tongue out at them. I was so stupid. To each their own I guess.

This part of your post I agree with.