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Pill Epidemic: Prison For Dealers vs. Probation For Docs

Leon County Judge John Cooper on June 30, 2022, in a screen grab from The Florida Channel.
The Florida Channel
Leon County Judge John Cooper on June 30, 2022, in a screen grab from The Florida Channel.

What’s the difference between a street-level dealer who gets caught with a few pain pills, and a doctor who may have written hundreds of prescriptions? According to legal observers, the street-level dealers often face long prison sentences, while the doctors who can afford high-priced attorneys might escape with just probation, the Orlando Sentinel reports.  

Originally founded in December 2006 as an independent grassroots publication dedicated to coverage of health issues in Florida, Health News Florida was acquired by WUSF Public Media in September 2012.