Recently, a University of Georgia professor made what might be seen as an extracurricular request to a student who planned to visit another country during spring break. Supposedly, he requested that she purchase prescription medication and bring it back for him. He has since turned himself in to authorities and is facing drug charges.
Wellbutrin, a drug that is used quite often to treat depression, is at the center of this case. The University of Georgia professor apparently gave one of his students $120 cash so that she could buy the drug while on spring break south of the United States border. Worried that she may be penalized academically for refusing to purchase the medication, the student approached other faculty members who in turn reported the incident to the authorities.
Later on, university police conducted a search of his office and reportedly found multiple prescription drugs mixed together in a single bottle. After surrendering to the police, the professor was arrested and charged for attempting to have the student illegally purchase a prescription medication for him. The mixed prescription medications in his office also resulted in multiple charges for having his medication not stored within its original container.
While prescription drugs may generally be regarded as less dangerous than their street counterparts, the distribution and use of these medications can still cause harm when misused. In some instances, prescription medication that is mixed together in a bottle might result in drug charges. Despite this, this Georgia professor is presumed fully innocent of the pending charges unless and until proved otherwise in a court of law. He has the right to challenge the evidence that prosecutors seek to use in support of the accusations and to confront witnesses at trial. It is possible that his surrendering to authorities and otherwise clean record of accomplishment at the University of Georgia will be taken into account by the judge overseeing his case if prosecutors are ultimately able to meet the strict level of proof required of them by our criminal justice system.
Source: Times Free Press, “Georgia professor turns himself in to face charges“, , March 22, 2014