It is a misconception that if you have prescription drugs on your person, even if they are not prescribed to you, it is not illegal. In Mississippi, as well as in all other states, having excessive amounts of prescription drugs on your person, or having a prescription that is not yours, is against the law.
Drug charges carry severe penalties, even for prescription drugs
You will face serious penalties if you are charged with a drug crime. If convicted, you could face time in jail, mandatory drug rehabilitation, and fines. The severity of the penalties will be based on the type of charges being placed against you and the type of prescription medication. Conviction of possession of medications, like opiate-based drugs, carries more substantial penalties than others.
Charges associated with possession of prescription medications
Several different charges can be placed against you when you are caught with prescription medication in excessive amounts, or that was not prescribed to you. Some of these charges include:
- Possesion of a controlled substance
- Possesion of a narcotic with intent to distribute
- Prescription fraud
- Drug trafficking or transporting
Drugs confiscated during a traffic stop will automatically cause everyone in the vehicle to be charged with a felony per Mississippi law. This law also applies to prescription drugs transported in a vehicle that does not belong to anyone in the vehicle, have been moved into a container other than the original prescription bottle, or are more than the prescribed amount of pills on the original bottle.
Drug convictions remain on your permanent record and can have a lasting impact on your life.
