In February 2002, a Florida physician was convicted of manslaughter for prescribing OxyContin to four patients who died after overdosing on the powerful drug. He is believed to be the first doctor ever convicted in the death of patients whose deaths were related to Oxycontin use.

During the trial, it was revealed that the physician prescribed more OxyContin than any other doctor in the state of Florida. Prosecutors in the case accused the physician of running an illegal "pill mill" in which Oxy-Contin prescriptions were given to anyone, including known drug dealers, who paid an office visit fee.

In addition to the manslaughter counts, the physician was also convicted of one count of racketeering and five counts of unlawful delivery of a controlled sub-stance. Although the problem is not unique to Florida, another doctor in that state was scheduled to face trial in 2002 for the...