Man Jail.ed for Dr.ug Trafficking After Selling Late Wife’s Painkil.lers

A Chinese man was sentenced to prison for drug trafficking after selling leftover pain medication from his late wife, who died from cancer.

Mr. Zhang, a resident of Liaoning, China, lost his wife to cancer. After her passing, he was left with a supply of unexpired painkillers. Believing they were still useful and not wanting them to go to waste, Zhang sold the medication—unaware that this action would land him behind bars.

Zhang’s wife was diagnosed with cancer in 2019. During her treatment, she was prescribed pain-relief drugs including OxyContin, Pembrolizumab, and Tramadol. She passed away in March 2022. Because the drugs were still within their expiration date and quite expensive, Zhang decided to sell them to a man surnamed Wen for 220 yuan (approximately 800,000 VND or $30 USD).

Six days after the transaction, Wen sent Zhang a message saying: “If I use it for a long time, I’ll get addicted. I feel unwell if I don’t take it.” Shortly afterward, police arrested Zhang on suspicion of drug trafficking.

On August 24, 2023, the court ruled that Zhang had committed the crime of drug trafficking and sentenced him to six months in prison and a fine of 2,000 yuan (nearly 7.3 million VND). The ruling was based on the fact that tramadol hydrochloride and oxycodone hydrochloride—the active ingredients in the drugs Zhang sold—are controlled substances with psychoactive effects. Additionally, Zhang had sold them to someone with a history of drug abuse.

After serving his sentence, Zhang lost his job. His son’s political background check was halted, and his 87-year-old mother was left without support. The man now faces tremendous emotional and financial pressure.

According to several legal experts, the crime of drug trafficking requires that the defendant intentionally sell narcotics. In Zhang’s case, he did not sell the medication to make a profit, but rather to avoid waste, believing they might help another patient. The chat messages only mentioned dependence, not explicit drug use, and Mr. Wen’s urine test came back negative for drug abuse. These details suggest Zhang’s actions may not meet the full legal criteria for drug trafficking.

Nevertheless, Zhang appealed the verdict to the Intermediate People’s Court in Shenyang and later to the Liaoning High People’s Court, but both appeals were denied.