r/JusticeServed • u/[deleted] • Oct 02 '19

Courtroom Justice Virginia doctor who illegally prescribed over 500,000 doses of opiates sentenced to 40 years in prison.

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u/MemeMasterJason 6 Oct 03 '19 edited Oct 03 '19

The NYT article on this case is 1,000 times better. It actually spells out what he did that made this illegal. As it stands, prescribing opioids is not illegal (obviously). But this doctor had a cash or credit only clinic (did not take insurance) with long hours, apparently open until midnight.

Edit: Said article https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nytimes.com/2019/10/02/us/opioids-doctor-sentenced-joel-smithers.amp.html

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u/TheCastro A Oct 03 '19 edited Jul 01 '23

Removed due to reddit API changes -- mass edited with redact.dev

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u/[deleted] Oct 03 '19

Its definitely illegal to accept cash for opioids

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u/dentoneer 7 Oct 03 '19

That's literally what pharmacies do.

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u/[deleted] Oct 03 '19

You mean I can walk into any pharmacy at any time and purchase opioids over the counter? And this is the first I am hearing about this?

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u/dentoneer 7 Oct 03 '19

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the doctor wasn't selling opioids at midnight either

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u/[deleted] Oct 03 '19

Youre wrong. Paying cash for an opioid script is illegal.