Doctor Shopping Laws in Tennessee
Searching for a lawyer for drug crime charges in Memphis?
Doctor shopping is one type of
drug crime that poses the risk of harsh penalties. Tennessee has 'specific'
and 'general' doctor shopping laws. This crime is defined as a
patient who obtains a controlled substance from several doctors without
them knowing that they are already in possession of other prescriptions.
Most states fall under having a
general fraud statute that they follow when it comes to doctor shipping. These statutes come
from a provision under the Uniform Controlled Substances Act of 1970,
which states that obtaining drugs through fraud, deceit, misrepresentation
etc. is illegal.
Specific doctor shopping laws prohibit patients from withholding the knowledge of other prescriptions
from health care practitioners. This means that having received any controlled
substance from another doctor, whether or not it is the same one as they
are trying to receive from the current doctor, is prohibited.
On April 1, 2013 it became a new law to have doctors check databases in
order to monitor the pharmacy activity of their patients before they write
prescriptions. If doctors do not use the database, they can be fined or
their license can be revoked. Tennessee law does not handle doctor shopping
lightly. This is a
felony offense
that is punishable by between one and six years in jail. The state continues
to crack down on these offenses in order to put a stop to doctor shopping.
If you are facing these serious charges, you need to immediately seek
experienced drug crime defense representation in Memphis.
Contact The Claiborne Ferguson Law Firm, P.A. to schedule a
free case evaluation and discuss the possible defenses for your case. With
more than 20 years of experience, we have seen all types of drug cases and we are familiar with the proceedings
that can follow a drug shopping arrest.