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ROB MCCLENDON: MIDDLE-AGED WOMEN ARE THE MOST LIKELY TO FALL VICTIM TO A
PRESCRIPTION ADDICTION; IN PART, BECAUSE THEY'RE MORE LIKELY TO BE PRESCRIBED AT
HIGHER DOSES BECAUSE OF CHRONIC PAIN.
COMBINE THAT WITH THE FACT THAT PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS DON'T CARRY
THE SAME STIGMA AS STREET DRUGS DO, EVEN IF THEY DO CONTAIN THE SAME OPIATES.
IT'S PROVEN TO BE A LETHAL COMBINATION EVEN WHEN IT DOESN'T KILL YOU.
OUR ALISA HINES VISITED THE EDDIE WARRIOR CORRECTIONAL CENTER TO
VISIT WITH TWO VERY UNLIKELY INMATES.
ALISA HINES: CALLIE BARRINGTON DIDN'T THINK SHE'D EVER END UP HERE.
CALLIE: I, I SIT AROUND; OBVIOUSLY I'VE HAD A LOT OF TIME TO SIT AROUND AND
THINK.
AND NO, I WOULDN'T HAVE EVER THOUGHT THAT.
YOU KNOW, I, I GREW UP IN A FAMILY WHERE WE'RE, I HAVE THREE SIBLINGS; WE'RE
ALL COLLEGE EDUCATED.
I HAVE A SISTER IN THE MILITARY, ANOTHER SISTER THAT'S A SOCIAL WORKER,
AND A BROTHER THAT'S A MISSIONARY IN INDIA.
I COME FROM, I HAVE PARENTS THAT ARE SCHOOL TEACHERS; BOTH HAVE
MASTER'S LEVEL EDUCATION.
NO, I WOULD NEVER HAVE THOUGHT THAT I'D BE SITTING HERE.
ALISA: BUT SHE IS, ALL THANKS TO A PRESCRIPTION ADDICTION.
CALLIE: FOR ME PERSONALLY, I BELIEVE THAT UM, THEY, SOME PEOPLE HAVE A
PRE-DISPOSITION TO BECOME ADDICTED TO SUBSTANCES, WHETHER IT'S ALCOHOL OR
DRUGS.
I HAVE A FAMILY HISTORY OF ADDICTION, SPECIFICALLY ALCOHOLISM, AND I, I
THINK PEOPLE ARE PRE-DISPOSED TO IT BECAUSE I, I KNOW THAT AFTER I
STARTED TAKING THAT MEDICATION AND THE LONGER THAT I WAS ON THAT
MEDICATION, YOU BUILD UP A TOLERANCE FOR IT IN YOUR SYSTEM THAT REQUIRES YOU
TO TAKE MORE, AND IT'S JUST A VICIOUS CYCLE.
AND IF YOU DON'T, YOU KNOW, RECOGNIZE SOON ENOUGH TO GET OUT OF IT,
YOU'RE, YOU'RE ALREADY ADDICTED BEFORE YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU, AND
YOU'RE ON THAT, THAT, THAT CONTINUOUS CYCLE AND YOU JUST CONTINUE TO TAKE MORE
AND MORE MEDICATION AS YOUR TOLERANCE BUILDS UP.
ALISA: AN ADDICTION THAT OFTEN LEADS TO CRIME.
FOR ANITA DEARDORF, IT WAS USING SOMEONE ELSE'S PRESCRIPTION AND TRYING TO
WRITE HER OWN, THAT EVENTUALLY LED TO HER ARREST.
ANITA DEARDORF: WHEN I FIRST STARTED USING PRESCRIPTION MEDS, I WAS
WORKING IN A NURSING HOME PUSHING THE PILL CART, DISPENSING MEDICATION TO
ALL THE PEOPLE, AND I DID REAL GOOD ON IT FOR A WHILE, I LOVED IT, YOU
KNOW, IT WAS REAL GOOD.
BUT, THEN I STARTED USING THE MEDICATION MYSELF.
ALISA: AN ADDICTION THAT CONSUMED HER LIFE.
ANITA: I WAS HAVING SEIZURES AND, YOU KNOW, FAMILY PROBLEMS; LOTS OF
FAMILY PROBLEMS.
MY YOUNGEST DAUGHTER ENDED UP HAVING HERSELF TAKEN AWAY FROM, FROM ME.
SHE CALLED DHS AND SHE WENT AND LIVED WITH MY MOTHER UNTIL SHE GREW UP.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE STILL GOT A REAL GOOD RELATIONSHIP, BUT I MISSED OUT ON A LOT
OF MY KIDS' CHILDHOOD.
ALISA: FOR CALLIE, INCARCERATION HIT HOME, FINALLY; BUT, IT TOOK A
30-YEAR SENTENCE TO DO SO.
CALLIE: I THINK THEY THOUGHT THEY WERE HELPING ME OUT AND THAT THE, THE
HARSHER THE PENALTY THEY COULD GIVE ME, IT WOULD GET MY ATTENTION; AND, TO
BE QUITE HONEST, THAT'S WHAT I NEEDED AT THE TIME.
I HAD BEEN TO SEVERAL TREATMENT CENTERS; I HAD TRIED THAT.
I TRIED A LOT OF THINGS AND I LITERALLY NEEDED EVERYTHING TAKEN AWAY FROM
ME TO REALIZE THE SITUATION I WAS AT AND, AND THE PLACE I WAS AT IN
MY LIFE.
AND LOOKING BACK NOW, I UNDERSTAND WHY THEY DID WHAT THEY DID; IT STILL IS
A VERY HARSH SENTENCE.
IT'S A LONG TIME, BECAUSE ON A 30-YEAR SENTENCE YOU DO A THIRD OF YOUR TIME,
WHICH IS A FLAT 10 CALENDAR YEARS.
ALISA: YEARS THAT ARE HELPING ANITA REALIZE THAT HER ADDICTION IS SERIOUS.
ANITA: I KNOW IF I EVER PICK UP ONE MORE PILL, ANYTHING, SMOKE A JOINT, A
DRINK, WHATEVER, I WON'T STOP AGAIN.
YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I'M 48-YEARS-OLD AND I'VE PROVED THAT TO MYSELF OVER
AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN THAT THE FIRST DRUG, THE FIRST PILL, THE FIRST
WHATEVER, IS I'LL JUST BE LIKE WOW, WHY DID I EVER QUIT UNTIL I'M RIGHT BACK
INTO THE RUT TO WHERE I'M PRAYING TO DIE, AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S CRAZY.
ROB: WELL PRESCRIPTION DRUG ABUSERS GENERALLY OBTAIN PAIN PILLS IN ONE
OF FOUR WAYS.
THEY COMMIT PRESCRIPTION FRAUD AND SEEK PAIN MEDICATIONS FROM MULTIPLE
DOCTORS, STEAL FROM MEDICINE CABINETS OF RELATIVES OR FRIENDS, BUY
THE PILLS ON THE STREET OR IN SOME OF THE MOST EXTREME CASES, COMMIT
ARMED ROBBERY.
WHEN WE RETURN, PHARMACY DANGERS.