Prescription Drug Addiction
As medical science has progressed over the past 50 years, prescription drugs have become more and more prevalent. Today there are medications to treat most physical and behavioral ailments. Pain medications in particular are widely prescribed for injuries and post-surgery recovery. Unfortunately, many prescription drugs are so effective that patients may become dependent on them. This dependency leads to an addiction that can take control of patients’ lives.
Patients who use any particular drug repeatedly may experience withdrawal symptoms once the prescription is discontinued. Withdrawal can be painful and distracting and can cause even the most well-intentioned patients to seek more of the drug out of desperation. An individual may begin to abuse the drug by buying it from underground sources or by forging a prescription. Over time, he or she may increase the daily dosage taken to keep experiencing the drug’s effects, which could have severe side effects on a person’s physical and mental health.
Even in properly prescribed doses, some prescription drugs can impair a person’s ability to operate heavy machinery, including a vehicle. It is illegal to drive under the influence of any drug that impairs your driving. Recently many states have ruled that this applies even to prescription drugs, whether they are taken legally or illegally.
If you are pulled over and show signs of impairment, you may be arrested for a DUI even if you haven’t consumed a drop of alcohol. If this has happened to you, consider contacting a Rhode Island DUI defense lawyer immediately. A DUI attorney will protect your rights under the law and fight aggressively on your behalf to defend against an overzealous prosecution
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Whenever you are arrested for a DUI, the prosecution has the burden of proving that you were actually impaired when you were pulled over. A DUI lawyer will closely review all evidence brought against you and question its validity to ensure that you are given a fair trial.
For sound legal advice and assistance with preparing your defense, don’t hesitate to contact experienced Rhode Island DUI lawyer Matthew Marin today at 401-287-4384.
