 
News of the Day ... in Perspective6/16/2004Pharmacist indicted for filling OxyContin prescriptions In a new escalation of the War on Drugs, pharmacist Richard Ozar of Ventura, California, has been indicted on 33 federal counts for filling OxyContin prescriptions. The drugs ended up in the hands of recreational pill-poppers and drug dealers, and the prosecutors assert that Ozar should have known that the drugs would not be used for legitimate medical purposes. Also indicted was Dr. Michael Huff, a family physician, who was accused of conspiring with Ozar. The two are accused of “ushering a new drug culture into the region.” Although Dr. Huff is not accused of taking any kickbacks from alleged drug dealers, his practice, 10% of which involved treating patients with severe chronic pain, profited from his willingness to write prescriptions. “We will continue to pursue vigorously physicians, patients and others who are responsible for turning Oxycontin from a legitimate painkiller to a vehicle of addiction and death,” stated Attorney General John Ashcroft when announcing the arre st. Defense attorney Victor Sherman said, “So the government’s medical opinion will be that he shouldn’t have written the prescriptions. But who are they? Are they the doctors now?” Daily Journal 6/11/04, www.dailyjournal.com Additional information: Sentences of pain physicians compared with those of Lackawanna Six terrorists Requires Microsoft Excel Overcriminalization of normal behavior
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