There is an opioid crisis throughout the United States. Efforts to fight the crisis could result in aggressive efforts at prosecuting alleged offenders. If you are accused of a crime related to opioids, you need to understand your rights and defend yourself against the charges that could derail your future. An Albany drug charge attorney can provide representation to those accused of opioid possession as well as to doctors charged with improperly prescribing medication and others who are facing related charges.
While fighting the epidemic of opioid addiction is important, it is also essential to ensure that individual rights are respected and that no individual is penalized without due process of the law. Those who are addicted to opioids and who are charged with offenses may also be better served by treatment, rather than punishment, and should have an attorney representing them who can argue for a favorable sentence that includes rehabilitation. To find out more about how we can help, give us a call today.
How States are Handling the Opioid Crisis
CBS reported on the approach that states are taking to try to handle the opioid crisis. According to CBS, a total of 41 attorneys general are looking at the role that drug companies have played in facilitating the crisis. Each of these 41 attorneys general has subpoenaed drug companies seeking information on manufacturing of opioids as well as marketing of these medications and distribution methods.
Attorneys general are also looking at others along the supply chain who may play a role in the epidemic. For example, some pharmacies have seen dramatic increases in demand for opioid medications and attorneys general are looking at whether pharmacies could be mandated to identify and report when they experience major increases in requests for opioid pills.
Doctors, as well, could be held accountable by states in their efforts to crack down on opioid users. The Pennsylvania Attorney General who spoke with CBS indicated that his office had doubled the number of doctors arrested in connection with opioids. Doctors can be arrested in any circumstances where prosecutors believe they are utilizing legal pills for unlawful uses. In some cases, however, the question of whether a doctor acted properly or not could be a subjective one with no clear answer.
Attorneys general and other authorities are desperate to find new ways to fight opioid addiction in light of the rising number of fatalities occurring in states throughout the country. It is important to ensure that these efforts do not end up with individual opioid users and medical professionals getting caught up in criminal actions even when they are acting properly.
An Albany drug charge attorney can provide representation to anyone accused of a drug offense related to opioids or related to any legal or illegal drugs. We can help you to fight for an acquittal or to negotiate to try to reduce penalties. Just give us a call to find out more about how our legal team can help you to respond to serious accusations that could have a major impact on your future.
