Seventy-four-year-old George Earl Lewis of Chickasha, Oklahoma was arrested in January of 2005 for selling two grams of crack cocaine to an FBI informant. Lewis claims that he sold the drugs to pay for his wife's cancer medication. He pleaded guilty and was given a ten-year suspended sentence. The district attorney who brought the case says Lewis used his wife's condition to gain sympathy, and has been pushing drugs much longer. Weekend America host Barbara Bogaev speaks with Lewis, his attorney Ryland Rivas, and district attorney Bret Burns about the case.

To Listen to the interview (http://weekendamerica.publicradio.org/programs/index_20060318.html#crack)

Holy Cow !!! I just finished listening to that and it really makes you wonder how many other old folk are in this couples situation ????? He sounds just like my husbands father. I dont really have words for this.
Well worth listening too !!
You will need real media to listen to it and there is a link at the bottom of the web site that will lead you too it if you dont have it.

This is actually a national crisis. Not saying it is right, but when you look behind the reasons why some people sell drugs you find it is to feed their kids, buy medicine, pay utility bills and stuff like that. A detective once told a friend of mine that he knew why she sold her medicines. To take care of her kids. She was a single parent with a very low paying job. It is a sad situation. Health care in this county stinks.

I agree, I guess that is why I was so shocked to hear it. Im from Canada and our health coverage is free for all Canadians. You just dont have people doing this kind of thing to save a spouses life. To put food on the table yes, but not for the reasons this man did. This is horrible. He even said he gave up his own meds for high blood pressure to save money for hers. I can totally understand how he ended up doing what he did though it shocks me as a Canadian that the big super power to the south has this going on !!! Sorry if that insults anyone but it does shock me.
I should add that it takes a heck of a lot to shock me.

witchlinblue, it is a shock to know that a country that will go to war for other countries does not think twice about making sure there is health care for it's own citizens! I for one am not insulted, I am ashamed. You either have to be very, very poor to qualify for the nation's healthcare program ( and I am eternally thankful for the Medicaid program here because of the health care for my grandchildren) or decide if you are going to eat this week or pay for medications. My mother lives with me, and she would be one of those people who only takes their medications a few times a week if she had to pay for a place to live, utilities and groceries. She simply would not be able to afford to live on her own. I am shocked every single day when I hear the stories, and like you, it takes an awful lot to shock me!

Here in Maryland, our local electric company is having a 72% rate increase. Many fixed income residents already have to choose between, food, medicine and heat. What are they going to do with an utility increase like this?

Almost enough to make you want to turn to drugs to escape it !!!

shelby, I am on a roll tonight! The heat (gas) company here and the water company both had a tremendous rate hike this past 6 months. I advocate all the time for assistance for people to pay their bills. I am a social worker, and most nights I am overwhelmed about the things I have found out during a day at work. I am amazed at the number of people who do not know there is some assistance for them, and the people who do have insurance take "no" for an answer when it comes to having the insurance pay for treatment. I have clients I work with, and I end up helping their families and friends once the word gets out that I am willing to write letters and help them. One insurance company called me a "bleeding heart" and I went ballistic! I ended up showing them I did not bleed, I spurted! Well, I better calm down now or I will be up all night trying to solve the national health crisis!

Or wondering what drugs I need to escape it like witchlinblue said! lol