The opioid epidemic in the United States is having dramatic and life-shattering consequences on a wide range of levels for people from every class of society. In addition to the obvious dangers of taking the drugs themselves, there are also collateral consequences that can lead to serious criminal charges.

One such example is the risk of incurring a criminal charge if you are present when someone else overdoses and dies. The risks of even associating with people who are taking drugs can lead to your implication as an accomplice to the crime.

Cases of being an accomplice in a drug crime

Many people do not consider the risk of facing charges as an accomplice in a drug crime. For example, even if you are not selling or buying drugs, but you are present when someone else does so, you could be held liable, and police may arrest you. Another aspect that is getting a lot of attention in the current opioid emergency is overdosing. A range of cases exists in which police may hold you responsible for another person’s overdose. If you supply drugs to a person who overdoses – drug delivery resulting in death – some states consider this a crime. So you do not necessarily have to be selling or dealing drugs to face criminal charges for supplying drugs.

Drugs include prescription narcotics

You should also understand that the legal definition of drugs that can result in criminal charges does not apply only to hard drugs or street drugs, but can also apply to prescription drugs. One of the most common types of prescription drug crimes in the current epidemic involves Oxycodone, which is available under brand names such as Percocet and OxyContin. Even if you have just one oxycodone pill in your possession, you may be at risk for criminal charges. Once police arrest you and charge you with a crime, you have to seek out a strategic legal defense to clear your name and mitigate the possible consequences of a conviction. Therefore, you should keep in mind that if you share prescription drugs with a person who then overdoses using the pills you provided, you may be at risk for criminal charges related to that person’s overdose.