Doctors Struggle to Define Line Between Addiction, Medical Dependency

(Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, July 16) He was celebrating being clean by driving around on his new motorcycle, but ironically, it was that innocent celebration that put him back into addiction. The motorcycle ride turned into an accident, and Kristopher was in a coma for a month. When he came to, he became dependent on opiates for the pain, because the doctors had prescribed them. Thirty surgeries later, he's dependent on the meds - and has turned to heroin - to help ease the pain. Doctors are becoming more aware of the problems with handing out opiate prescriptions and their high risk of addiction. READ MORE.