No, you should not sell any prescription drugs that you have not yet used.
Often, the doctor will instruct you to use the entire amount, even if you have recovered. But there may be a scenario in which you do not feel that it is necessary. Perhaps you were given a certain amount of painkillers after a medical procedure, intended to help you recover, but you felt that the pain was manageable with over-the-counter options like Tylenol or ibuprofen. You took the prescription-strength painkillers for a few days, but you still have half of the bottle remaining.
Naturally, people wonder what they should do with these controlled substances. They may be tempted to sell simply because prescriptions can be very expensive. They know that the medication is a valuable asset that they paid for, so they want to sell it to get that money back. But illegally reselling medications can lead to serious drug charges for unauthorized distribution.
What should you do instead?
Indeed, many people will simply throw their medications away. However, this is typically not advisable and is often wasteful. For instance, reports show that hospitals throw away $3 billion in medication annually, and long-term care facilities throw away $2 billion.
To combat this, there are state drug repository programs. If you have controlled substances, you can often drop them off in a locked box at a pharmacy. This ensures that no one else will have access to them.
All that being said, some people do decide to share or sell their prescription medications, not realizing that it is prohibited, inadvertently putting themselves in a position where they could face serious criminal charges. If you are in this situation, it is important to understand your defense options.