When Brian Paolino was 17, he had no idea taking a few codeine pills from his parents’ medicine cabinet would lead to a life-threatening narcotic addiction.
He first used the pills to self-medicate depression and anxiety, gradually moving up to stronger drugs with higher doses. Now 35 and clean for the past four years, the articulate native of Toronto says emergency departments served as his “dealer” for more than 14 years.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/