In general when people think of drug use, they likely think about illegal drugs. They think of marijuana, heroin or cocaine. However, drugs are used in Oregon in much broader ways. In fact, many people legally used drugs every day. Prescription drug use, is legal. People are allowed to use antidepressants, narcotics and other mood-altering drugs on a daily basis to treat legitimate medical conditions.
Still, it is possible to face drug charges as a result of prescription drug use. Police may believe that a person is illegally consuming, selling or distributing prescription drugs. In these cases, the accused can face serious penalties for drug crimes if convicted of these allegations. In order to avoid penalties for a conviction, it is necessary for prosecutors to prove that prescription drug abuse was occurring.
This means that the burden in on the prosecutor to prove that illegal conduct was occur. It is not up the person to prove that the prescription drug use was legal. However, this doesn't mean that those accused of drug charges for prescription drug possession can just do nothing in the case. People need to take steps to ensure that a comprehensive criminal defense plan is in place.
As the attorneys at our firm know, this can mean a couple of different things. This could mean fighting the charges head on in court. This could mean presenting evidence that a person was treating a medical condition with the permission of a licensed doctor. Or, a criminal defense strategy could include negotiating with prosecutors to come to a plea agreement.
Please see our drug crime webpage for more information on how we can assist those facing charges for prescription drug use.
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