The same can be said for counselors who treat substance abusers. Capretto estimated that about 1,000 people have sought treatment at his Gateway facility for OxyContin addiction. Rarely does a day go by that we don't see a couple of new people come in for treatment here, with OxyContin being their main or one of their main drugs of addiction. Often, addicts obtain the drug legitimately. It's not unusual for OxyContin abusers to have real medical problems stemming from falls, car crashes or other accidents.
Doctors write the prescription, pharmacists fill it, and addicts abuse it.
Sometimes, shrewd people lie about their ailments. They might show up in doctors' offices with casts on, or they might agree to X-rays. In some cases, they find doctors who are happy to prescribe OxyContin without doing much research into their background. And if they strike out with one physician, they'll seek out others. No doctors or pharmacists have been arrested in Western Pennsylvania in connection with OxyContin.