Can Someone W/ History of Drug Abuse Still Get Prescription Drugs (NY)?

Question by kay: can someone w/ history of drug abuse still get prescription drugs (NY)?
In the state of New York, can someone with a medical history of hard drug abuse (cocaine, mdma, opiates, etc) receive prescriptions for medication treating their ADD ? what about pain medication? will the doctor monitor this patients to insure they are not abusing/selling it? (monitor as in drug test to insure the drug is in the patient’s system). ANY information will be extremely helpful and appreciated.

THIS IS NOT FOR ME. Please do not lecture me about how bad drugs are. I am concerned someone in my life will start abusing drugs again.

Best answer:

Answer by cambnes
im frim michigan so it may be different but here if you have a legal record regarding drugs (use, sale or distribution, etc) you cannot get anything like that from doctors. you are pretty much cut off forever and any doctor that prescribes you medication like that can actually be sent to prison and lose their license for giving it to you

Answer by Mathieu
The answer is yes, a person with a history of drug abuse or addiction (be it illegal or prescription drugs) can be prescribed any medication or medications a prescriber feels are appropriate. The only exception would be if there is a court order preventing a person from being prescribed certain drugs (and if that were the case yet a physician felt it was important to prescribe a controlled substance then the court would have to approve it).

But just because a person has a history of substance abuse does not mean they should not be allowed access to controlled substances when they are indicated. However any good physician would be hesitant to prescribe controlled substances to a patient they knew had a history of drug abuse. Opioids would only likely be prescribed when pain can be confirmed (ie when testing can prove there is a problem causing pain) and then only for the shortest time possible. ADHD medication may be prescribed but typically only after non-stimulants are tried first and still many doctors would not be willing to prescribe stimulants at all.

There is no absolute counterindication in prescribing controlled substances to a person with a history of drug abuse but if it would be done it would be done very carefully and often a doctor may require random drug tests, pill counts, a controlled substance contact, and may also require the person to be evaluated by a mental health professional (or in some cases a referral to a specialist would be made such as to a psychiatrist with a subspeciality in pain management or palliative care).

I can understand your concern that your friend may abuse prescription medications but if you friend does actually need medication that is important to consider too.

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