re: How do you know when someone is addicted to pain pills?

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did not think this was possible, liver would fail?

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The liver is the most resilient organ in your body. It will repair itself until it possibly can't anymore. It's incredible, really.

ETA: I watched a documentary on football and one ex football player from the 80's said he was taking 1,500 vicodin a month.

Dr shopper#2 . Not possible. Addict, because he's getting them from somewhere. Dealer Shopper more like it.
#1 Dr may be treating chronic pain sufferer. Addiction or suffer with pain. Pick your poison. Addict

#3 is #2. Addiction, needs Professional Help or will spiral to death. Or Prison

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but maybe he is fooling us

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I had a friend that recently got out of rehab. We had lost touch for a few years, so I took him to lunch and asked him what was up. I know he used to love to party--we all drank, smoked pot, dabbled in x, coke what-have-you in our twenties. I knew he dabbled more in pills and partied more frequently than the rest of is. Still, I assumed his rehab stint was due to a DUI, possession charge, something court-related. But no, he said he'd been taking opiates EVERY DAY for the last 18 years. I had no idea it was that bad. I'm assuming he'd (d)evolved into heroin and that's when he realized he was at rock bottom.

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Aaron Brooks ? No, that was 2000

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It was some Fullback or TE who played with the Dolphins. Dude had like 12 back surgeries, 2 knee surgeries, multiple concussions, you name it.

ETA: Dan Johnson, "The King of Pain".

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did not think this was possible, liver would fail?

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The acetaminophen in most opiate medications is what kills the liver. The guys on Roxys aren't getting that.

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You're still a slave to that addiction. If it makes you ornery when you don't get it, is that not negative?

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Good call. The addict is rarely, if ever, the one qualified to determine if it is affecting things negatively.

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Take marijuana. You smoke it today and it is still in your body a week from now. Doesn't prove you were impaired at the time you operated the vehicle.

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Well that is true but in AZ if you have ANY marijuana show up in your system you get a DUI, it doesn't matter if you got stoned an hour ago or 3 weeks ago.

Scratching is a huge sign. Scabs, etc.

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3) Buys and sells to fund habit, but has taken same amount for years (40-6o mg day) and a few xanex a day

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If they take the same amount every day, they should be okay with you holding them as dispensing them daily for a few weeks. If not, there's your sign.
There is also a big difference between addiction and chemical dependency. Read a couple articles about this and it will give you a better understanding.
One of my best friends was addicted in dental school, and I had no idea. When he sought treatment, he chose me as his person to confide in since I have never even tried weed in my lifetime. I was truly shocked when he told me. It's not always obvious when they are functioning well.

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When they run out

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Not true. Just about anyone taking opiates for an extended period will have physical symptoms if they aren't weaned off. This is true for some non-opiates as well. This is not a sign of addiction. Again, there is a difference between addiction and chemical dependency.