dr. thomas frieden is the director of the centers for disease control. >> we've had a huge increase in the amount othese drugs that are prescribed. and the more that they are prescribed, the more they're abused. that's the bottom line. >> reporter: in fact, the painkiller hydrocodone, found in the popular drug vicodin, is the most prescribed drug in the united states. doctors say, taken as directed, painkillers can be a godsend for pain sufferers. but national surveys show the majority of people who misuse prescription painkillers get them not from their doctor, but from a friend. whitney box, austin's sister, believes that was true in her brother's case. >> i think he was getting them for free from people who just wanted to be in his life and live in his world. they wanted to get closer to him, wanted to get closer to all the players. >> reporter: in many cases, pills are lifted from the family medicine cabinet. >> they're not getting it from drug dealers, they're not getting it off the internet, they're not purchasing it from somebody down the street. they're getting it right from our ve