Prescription fraud can be defined as any unlawful acquisition of prescription drugs for profit, personal use and/or recreation—which is usually due to an addiction.
This could include any acts such as visiting several doctors to obtain multiple prescriptions, forging a prescription, and/or altering a prescription to increase the quantity.
All of these acts are illegal and punishable under the law. Some of the most commonly abused prescription drugs, according to Maine law enforcement, include:
- Vicodin (hydrocodone)
- Valium (diazepam)
- Xanax (alprazolam)
- OxyContin (oxycodone)
- Percocet (oxycodone/paracetamol)
- Morphine
Although these substances are frequently, and legally, prescribed for various medical conditions, many of these drugs can create a high level of dependency if taken for a prolonged period of time—causing addiction to develop in some users.
Taking measures to illegally obtain prescriptions for these drugs, however, is a punishable offense and can have serious penalties if convicted of a prescription fraud charge.
