When you think of drug addictions, the first thing that might pop into your head is illegal drugs. Unfortunately, people can also become addicted to drugs given over the counter, prescribed right from their doctor. Prescription drug abuse happens when people take pills and do not have a medical issue that needs medication. Unfortunately about 52 million people from 12 and over use these prescription drugs for reasons other than medical related problems. This means that 20 percent of those in the United States are addicted to prescription drugs.

Some say that prescription drug abuse can come from narcotics, sedatives, and stimulants. In a recent article by Health Day News, it was reported that there was a recent influx in emergency visits due to muscle relaxers. Consequentially, statistics show that from 2004 to 2009 there was an influx of emergency visits from 15,830 to 31,763. Those who have or could be addicted to drugs are not just those who take them when they do not have a medical need for them; people who are taking highly addicting drugs for prescription reasons are very susceptible to addiction problems. In fact, 10 percent of doctors who prescribe highly addictive drugs are also prone to become addicted to them.

Some of these highly addictive drugs are Opiate, hydrocodone (more widely known as opium), codeine, and OxyContin. Opium drugs specifically give the human brain a boost of endorphins that are easy to get addicted to since there is a pleasant feeling associated with them upon inhalation. Therefore, it is easy for someone who is in the process of taking them for medicinal purposes to become addicted. If a person were to stop taking the medicine, the body can no longer produce endorphins on its own and the person would then feel depressed. Addiction happens when a person stops taking the medicine and then tries to avoid feeling bad due to the lack of endorphins enacted in the brain. It is said that someone is addicted when they try and take supplement medicine as a type of antidepressant.

At times, people may find that these drugs are confiscated, and they can find themselves being victimized by authorities. A search is when an official from the government comes onto or into property that is owned by the person inhabiting it; a seizure takes place when a government official takes possession of something that the person owns or has an interest in. Many times, however, evidence gained from a search and seizure can be unlawfully violated. They may violate the law by arresting someone without evidence that the drug was their property, stretch the truth or even lie, ignore the California search and seizure rules and even try to bring suspects in against the California entrapment laws. According to the Fourth Amendment there is protection against unreasonable search and seizures. Examples of unreasonable search and seizures are the following:

• Inside a person's home;
• In their tent; or
• In a student's backpack

In search and seizures, the definition is conventional; in California, the definition of reasonable is given as what people in society would believe is reasonable. It is alleged that unreasonable expectations of privacy does not include abandoned property such as abandoned property in motel rooms, cars, cell phones and more. It is also important to note that even if there is a reasonable right to privacy, this does not mean that authorities are never allowed to search in the vicinity. It just means that they need to follow legal procedure first. Yet, according to the exclusionary rule in California, authorities are not allowed to use any evidence from an illegal search and seizure in court. If this happens, under Penal Code Section 1538.5 motion, an attorney is allowed to legally ask if the evidence can be disregarded in a trial. If this is your situation, don't let your rights be violated - contact an experienced attorney today.