In the culmination of a three-year investigation, Rush Limbaugh was charged last week with illegally obtaining prescription drugs. He reached a deal with prosecutors Monday in which the single charge brought against him will be dropped in 18 months provided he completes a diversionary program.
 
The investigation into the media personality's "doctor shopping" for prescription painkillers began in 2003, when he admitted being addicted to OxyContin and underwent a treatment program.
 
Over the course of the investigation, prosecutors found that Limbaugh had possibly received thousands of painkillers in a six-month period, although he was finally charged with fraudulently obtaining fewer than 50 pills. The charge will be dropped if Limbaugh complies with the deal, whose terms include continued treatment.
 
The treatment deal contradicts Limbaugh's past rhetoric in favor of jailing people who violate drug laws. He said on his television show, "If people are violating the law by doing drugs, they ought to be accused and they ought to be convicted and they ought to be sent up."
 
As recently as last week, Limbaugh blasted the idea of compassion for nonviolent drug users, referring to seriously ill medical marijuana users as "the long-haired, maggot-infested, dope-smoking crowd."
 
DPA executive director Ethan Nadelmann is hopeful that personal experience will provide Limbaugh a new perspective on the issue. "Ideally, Rush’s experiences with addiction and the drug war will encourage him to join the movement to reform drug policy," he said. "He has a huge platform and could use his voice to help others in the way that he has been helped."