Most Painkiller Users Don’t Know Opioid Sharing Is Felony
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U.S. patients on prescription opioids underestimate the risks of the medication, with a majority failing to realize that it’s a felony to share their drugs, a survey from a safety group shows.
About one in seven believe it’s appropriate to share the medication with friends and family, according to the National Safety Council. About 28 percent believe it’s “slightly risky,” with little or no negative consequences, while 26 percent think it’s a misdemeanor, according to a presentation Wednesday by the council. Only 32 percent realize it’s punishable by at least a year in jail.