Sharing Medications
Research indicates that generally college students get medication for non-prescription use from someone they know like friends, family members, roommates, boy/girl friends, teammates (McCabe et al., 2005).
Legal Considerations
- It is illegal to "possess" medications not obtained directly with a valid prescription.
- It is illegal to "distribute" medications to another person if you are not licensed to do so
- Possessing an illegal substance is a violation of the WSU student conduct code.
- Convictions on a drug offense may jeopardize your ability to get federal financial aid.
Sharing or selling medications?
- When you share or sell your medication, you really don't know how the other person will use the medication. This could put him/her at risk for negative consequences ranging from nausea and disorientation, to blackout, to detox or even death.
- You may be held liable, if something negative happens to your friend/family members (injury, accident, overdose, etc.)
- Some medications such as Opiates (OxyContin, Vicodin, Codeine, etc.) are highly addictive. How do you feel about contributing to a friend's or family member's use of a highly addictive drug?
- Unintentionally, you might share prescription medication if you do not store it securely. Lock or hide your prescription medication so it isn't stolen
Receiving or buying medications?
- You don't know what you're getting. When you get medication from somewhere other than a pharmacy, you can't be sure what is in it or how it was produced.
- You may be unaware of how the medication should be used, such as proper dosage, risks of mixing with alcohol, or signs of allergic reaction. This could put you at risk negative consequences ranging from nausea and disorientation, to blackout, to detox or even death.
For more information on risks of sharing medications and refusal skills, visit the ADCAPS website.
