You’ve suffered from attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) all your life, but you get significant relief from your symptoms when you take a prescription stimulant, like Ritalin or Adderall.
For you, prescription stimulants just make it possible for you to focus. But stimulants have an entirely different effect on people without ADHD. In fact, you’ve noticed that a lot of your classmates actively try to get their hands on stimulants like yours so that they can cram for tests or stay up all night working on research papers and special projects.
It doesn’t surprise you, then, when your roommate asks if they can “borrow” (or buy) a few extra Ritalin tablets from you. Is there any harm in letting them have them?
You and your roommate could end up in serious trouble
You certainly don’t think of yourself as a drug dealer for giving your buddy a couple of your pills when they’re in a crunch, especially if you didn’t take any money for them – but that’s not the way the authorities are likely to see it.
Giving drugs to someone who doesn’t have a valid prescription for them is strictly against the law. So is having the drugs without a valid prescription. If your roommate gets caught with the pills, not only will they face drug possession charges, but you could end up facing charges for drug distribution.
And, the situation could get worse if your friend accidentally overdoses on the stimulants. You probably titrated up on your dosage over time, and there’s no telling if your buddy will be able to tolerate the effects of the drug without doing the same. Plus, your friend could simply take too much. That could lead to additional criminal charges for you if they suffer an injury as a result, not to mention the consequences it may have through your school’s disciplinary office.
It’s easy to get pressured into doing the wrong thing, especially when you’re young. If you made a mistake and are now facing drug charges, exercise your right to remain silent until you fully explore your potential defenses.